Information processing method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

The state of a label at an optional time point, such as a past time point, can be recognized, while the label can be regenerated even when the label has been deleted. When a label on which can be pasted an object, such as text, picture or sound, is acted upon (yes at step S 141 ) the difference of the label information is computed (step S 142 ) and the computed difference information is stored (steps S 144 , S 145 ). The label state is then regenerated based on the time information stored in association with the label and the difference information. Also, time is displayed, plural time intervals are displayed (step S 201 ), a desired one of the plural time intervals is selected (step S 202 ) and time display is controlled responsive to the selected time intervals (steps S 203  to S 206 ), to facilitate retrieval of the information corresponding to the specified time. In addition, a label handling at least the time concept is processed (step S 231 ) and the time axis in displaying the label is controlled (step S 233 ) based on an operating signal associated with rotational actuation from a jog dial (step S 232 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to an information processing method andapparatus, and a medium. More particularly, it relates to an informationprocessing method and apparatus, and a medium in which pre-setprocessing can be executed on a label bonded as a tag sheet on a desktop screen of a personal computer.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] It has hitherto been a frequent practice to attach a tag sheet asan eye-mark for paper documents, to write a memo on the tag sheet andpaste it somewhere for use as reminder. An application program forregenerating a similar thing on a desktop screen of a personal computerhas been proposed by the present Assignee. In actuality, a personalcomputer on which is pre-installed this application program is on sale.In the following description, a tag sheet displayed on the desktopscreen is called a label and an application program for displaying alabel on the desktop is called a label software. In this label. Not onlythe test, such as letters, but also speech or pictures, can be handledby eexploiting the fact that the label software is an applicationprogram on a personal computer. Meanwhile, a paper tag sheet cannothandle the speech or pictures, such as moving pictures.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary representation of a label on the desktopscreen. In this figure, not only the text, such as letters, but alsoletters or pictures, can be pasted on the label L. Meanwhile, the labelL in a lower portion of FIG. 1 shows the state in which a picture hasbeen pasteed in position. If the speech etc is pasted on the label L,and a playback button PB, for example, is clicked, such as with a mouse,the speech can be reproduced. On the other hand, if a stop button B isclicked, such as with a mouse, the speech reproduction can be halted.

[0006] With the application program (label software) for pasting thelabel on the desktop, the operation of preparing, moving and deletingthe label is possible. Moreover, changes in the text or pictures orspeech recording can be performed on the label.

[0007] However, in the label software, in which, if the label has beencorrected, only the latest information following the correction ispreserved, so that it is not possible to identify what was the state ofthe label e.g., at an optional past time point. Moreover, if the labelhas been deleted, the data converning the label is completely erased, sothat the label cannot be seen again, for example, the label cannot bere-displayed on the desktop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aninformation processing method and apparatus, and a medium, whereby thestate of a label at an optional past time point can be identified andwhereby, if the label is deleted, the label can be regenerated.

[0009] If the date and time indicated on a date/time indicator in apre-set window on the desktop are to be changed, the routine practice isto indicate one of the year, month, day, hour and the minute etc of thedate/time indicator and to change its figure. For example, if, with thedisplay “1999: 05: 21: 12: 00: 00” (May 21 1999, 12 o'clock, 0 min 0sec), the month figure is to be changed, the cursor is set to the monthindication (“05”) to activate it and an entry is made directly from thekeyboard. Alternatively, the up/down key on the keyboard is acted uponto change the figure, or a pre-set button for time up/down indication isclicked with a mouse. This time/date indication is highly cumbersome.

[0010] It is therefore another object of the present invention toprovide an information processing method and apparatus and a medium inwhich, when the personal computer is to deal with the concept of time,time designation can be simplified and facilitated, and in which theinformation corresponding to the designated time can be retrievedeasily.

[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides an informationprocessing apparatus including storage means for memorizing a pre-setprocessing unit, in which to paste the object information of differentattributes, in association with the time information, and regeneratingmeans for regenerating the state of the pre-set processing unitassociated with a desired date and time, based on the time information.

[0012] In another aspect, the present invention provides an informationprocessing apparatus including memorizing a pre-set processing unit, inwhich to paste the object information of different attributes, inassociation with the time information, and regenerating the state of thepre-set processing unit associated with a desired date and time, basedon the time information.

[0013] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a mediumwhich permits an information processing apparatus to execute a programincluding a step of memorizing a pre-set processing unit, in which topaste the object information of different attributes, in associationwith the time information, and a step of regenerating the state of thepre-set processing unit associated with a desired date and time, basedon the time information.

[0014] With the information processing method and apparatus and themedium, according to the present invention, the pre-set processing unitin which to paste the object information of different attributes and thetime information are stored in association with each other, and thestate of the pre-set processing unit associated with the desired dateand time is regenerated based on the time information, whereby the labelstate at an optional time point, such as a past time point, can berecognized. Moreover, if the label is deleted, it can be regenerated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 shows an example of a tag sheet (label) pasted on thedesktop.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a notebook type personalcomputer embodying the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main body portion of the notebooktype personal computer shown in FIG. 2.

[0018]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a jog dial essential to thepresent invention.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a side view of the jog dial side of the main bodyportion.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the jog dial.

[0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a contact mounting substrateessential to the jog dial shown in FIG. 6.

[0022]FIG. 8 is a front cross-sectional view of the jog dial.

[0023]FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the jog dial.

[0024]FIG. 10 is a side view of an equipment for illustrating themounting state of the jog dial thereon.

[0025]FIG. 11 is a top plan view showing a rotary encoder constitutingthe jog dial.

[0026]FIG. 12 is a top plan view showing push switch portion of the jogdial.

[0027]FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit diagram of the notebook typepersonal computer shown in perspective in FIG. 2.

[0028]FIG. 14 shows a hardware structure in which an embedded controlleris monitoring the state of the rotary encoder portion of the jog dialthrough a rotation detection unit.

[0029]FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the state in which the embeddedcontroller has executed the jog dial state monitor program.

[0030]FIG. 16 is a timing chart for illustrating the operation of therotation detection unit shown in FIG. 14.

[0031]FIG. 17 is a flowchart for illustrating the jog dial state monitorprogram executed by CPU of the notebook type personal computer afterturning on of a power source switch.

[0032]FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary display of jog dial menu.

[0033]FIG. 19 illustrates another exemplary display of jog dial menu.

[0034]FIG. 20 illustrates still another exemplary display of jog dialmenu.

[0035]FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary display of sub-menu.

[0036]FIG. 22 illustrates another exemplary display of sub-menu.

[0037]FIG. 23 is a flowchart for illustrating a notification processingwhich a jog-dial related application performs for the jog dial statemonitor program executed by a CPU.

[0038]FIG. 24 is a flowchart for illustrating an event operation by ajog-dial related application or a jog-dial non-related application.

[0039]FIG. 25 shows an exemplary window display of a first specifiedexample of the jog-dial related application.

[0040]FIG. 26 shows the state of registering an application in anapplication list started especially from the launcher function insetting a jog dial.

[0041]FIG. 27 shows the relationship between data of the project, labeland the object handled by the label software of the present embodiment.

[0042]FIG. 28 shows an example of a desktop picture during the normalmode operation.

[0043]FIG. 29 shows an illustrative structure of a desktop picture inthe present mode.

[0044]FIG. 30 shows an illustrative structure of a desktop picture inthe past mode.

[0045]FIG. 31 shows an illustrative structure of a desktop picture inthe future mode.

[0046]FIG. 32 shows an example of a window picture of a label of thepresent embodiment.

[0047]FIG. 33 illustrates a tool chip showing the play time (soundrecording time) relevant to the play and pause buttons.

[0048]FIG. 34 illustrates a tool chip showing the link contents relevantto the link button (file path of a link destination or URL).

[0049]FIG. 35 illustrates examples of an alarm icon and repetitive icon.

[0050]FIG. 36 shows a bar-state time view console window.

[0051]FIG. 37 shows a floating state time view console window

[0052]FIG. 38 is an enlarged view showing only the vicinity if arotation animation portion on the left end of the bar-state time viewconsole window.

[0053]FIG. 39 shows an exemplary display of an operating menu in the“display all” state of the labels during the normal mode.

[0054]FIG. 40 shows an exemplary display of an operating menu in the“hide all” state of the labels during the normal mode.

[0055]FIG. 41 shows an exemplary display of an operating menu during thepast mode.

[0056]FIG. 42 shows an exemplary display of an operating menu during thefuture mode.

[0057]FIG. 43 illustrates different icons for the present, past andfuture modes.

[0058]FIG. 44 illustrates an exemplary display of a new projectpreparation dialog.

[0059]FIG. 45 shows an exemplary display of a time setting dialog at thetime of importing for showing the project information.

[0060]FIG. 46 shows an exemplary display of a project import dialog.

[0061]FIG. 47 shows an exemplary display of a dialog specifying animport method.

[0062]FIG. 48 shows an exemplary display of a project export dialog.

[0063]FIG. 49 shows an exemplary display of a project property dialog.

[0064]FIG. 50 shows an exemplary display of a label property dialog.

[0065]FIG. 51 shows an exemplary display of a text editing dialog.

[0066]FIG. 52 illustrates the manner in which a tool chip indicating therecording time and the maximum recording time on recording selection andthe play button are changed to a recording button.

[0067]FIG. 53 shows an exemplary display of a link editing dialog.

[0068]FIG. 54 shows an exemplary display of a clipboard object selectiondialog.

[0069]FIG. 55 illustrates the definition of a text margin and a picturemargin.

[0070]FIG. 56 shows an exemplary display of a dialog when the defaultlabel layout is selected in the label setting dialog.

[0071]FIG. 57 illustrates the label layout operation by dragging with asample being displayed.

[0072]FIG. 58 shows an exemplary display of a label during customarylayout execution.

[0073]FIG. 59 shows an exemplary display of an alarm dialog.

[0074]FIG. 60 shows an exemplary display of a current label deletiondiagram.

[0075]FIG. 61 shows an exemplary display of a future label deletiondiagram.

[0076]FIG. 62 shows an exemplary display of an alarm dialog in linkpasting.

[0077]FIG. 63 shows an exemplary display of a jog dial guide duringnormal mode.

[0078]FIG. 64 shows an exemplary display of a jog dial guide during timeview mode.

[0079]FIG. 65 shows an exemplary display of a dialog on selection oflabel setting in a label setting dialog.

[0080]FIG. 66 shows an exemplary display of a dialog on selection ofrecording setting in a label setting dialog.

[0081]FIG. 67 shows an exemplary display of dialog on selection ofpicture setting in a label setting dialog.

[0082]FIG. 68 shows an exemplary display of dialog on selection ofenvironment setting in a label setting dialog.

[0083]FIG. 69 is a flowchart showing the overall processing flow in casethe label state at an optional past time point is regenerated, anappointment is made for an operation for a future label, the operationfor a future label is regenerated and alarm processing is realized onthe CPU.

[0084]FIG. 70 is a flowchart showing details of the recording processingat step S132 of the flowchart of FIG. 69.

[0085]FIG. 71 is a flowchart showing details of the alarm processing atstep S133 of the flowchart of FIG. 69.

[0086]FIG. 72 is a flowchart showing details of the label updatingprocessing at step S134 of the flowchart of FIG. 69.

[0087]FIG. 73 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case theprocessing of indirectly pasting the entire information on a label by alink is to be performed by the CPU.

[0088]FIG. 74 is a flowchart showing details of the link editingprocessing at step S173 of the flowchart of FIG. 73.

[0089]FIG. 75 is a flowchart showing details of the link executingprocessing at step S175 of the flowchart of FIG. 73.

[0090]FIG. 76 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case theprocessing for enabling time shift to an optional time of thepresent/past/future is to be realized on a CPU.

[0091]FIG. 77 is a flowchart showing details of the movement unitchanging processing at step S203 of the flowchart of FIG. 76.

[0092]FIG. 78 is a flowchart showing details of the time movementprocessing at step S205 of the flowchart of FIG. 76.

[0093]FIG. 79 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case theprocessing for enabling time shift to an optional time of thepresent/past/future is to be realized by a jog dial operation on a CPU.

[0094]FIG. 80 is a flowchart showing details of the information browsingprocessing at step S233 of the flowchart of FIG. 79.

[0095]FIG. 81 is a flowchart showing details of the movement unitchanging processing at step S244 of the flowchart of FIG. 80.

[0096]FIG. 82 is a flowchart showing details of the time movementprocessing at step S246 of the flowchart of FIG. 80.

[0097]FIG. 83 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case theprocessing for using the jog dial operation as a user interface for timemovement is to be implemented by a CPU.

[0098]FIG. 84 is a flowchart showing details of the information browsingprocessing at step S273 of the flowchart of FIG. 83.

[0099]FIG. 85 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case thefunction of presenting the label state to the user by changing thefringe color of the correction inhibiting label is to be implemented bya CPU.

[0100]FIG. 86 is a flowchart showing details of the information browsingprocessing at step S293 of the flowchart of FIG. 85.

[0101]FIG. 87 is a flowchart showing details of the label editable stateupdating processing at step S307 of the flowchart of FIG. 86.

[0102]FIG. 88 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case thefunction of instantly reverting to the current time by the presentbutton of the time view console is to be implemented by a CPU.

[0103]FIG. 89 is a flowchart showing details of the information browsingprocessing at step S323 of the flowchart of FIG. 88.

[0104]FIG. 90 is a flowchart showing the overall processing in case thefunction of making the task tray icon design to differ in the present,past and future modes and in the all hide state in the present mode isto be implemented by a CPU.

[0105]FIG. 91 is a flowchart showing details of the information browsingprocessing at step S346 of the flowchart of FIG. 90.

[0106]FIG. 92 is a flowchart showing details of the task tray iconupdating processing at step S356 of the flowchart of FIG. 91.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0107] Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of the presentinvention will be explained in detail.

[0108] FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate the appearance of a notebook personalcomputer 1 as an example of application of the apparatus and the methodfor processing the information according to the present invention. Thisnotebook personal computer 1 is basically constituted by a main bodyportion 2 and a display portion 3 that can be opened/closed with respectto this main body portion 2. FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the notebookpersonal computer 1 with the display portion 3 being opened relative tothe main body portion 2. FIG. 3 shows the plan view of the main bodyportion 2 and FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view the vicinity of a jog dial4, as later explained, constituting the essential portions of thepresent invention. FIG. 5 is a side view of the side of the jog dial 4of the main body portion 2.

[0109] On the upper surface of the main body portion 2, there areprovided a keyboard 5, acted upon when various letters or symbols are tobe inputted, a touch pad 6 as a pointing device acted upon for causingmouse cursor movement, and a power source switch 8.

[0110] On the front side of the display portion 3, there is provided anLCD (liquid crystal display) 7 for demonstrating a picture. On the rightupper side of the display portion 3, there are provided a power sourcelamp PL, a battery lamp BL, a message lamp ML and other LED lamps.

[0111] Referring to the setting positions of the jog dial 4 in detail,the jog 4 is built in a space between keys A and B (rightmost key) onthe keyboard 5 on the main body portion 2, on substantially the samelevel as the keys A and B.

[0112] The jog dial 4 executes pre-set processing responsive to therotating actuation as indicated by arrow a in FIG. 4, while executingpre-set processing responsive to the movement actuation as indicated byarrow b in FIG. 4. The pre-set processing executed by the jog dial 4will be explained subsequently.

[0113] The structure of this jog dial 4 is first explained.

[0114] The jog dial 4 includes a rotary encoding unit 12 and a pushswitch unit 13 on a contact mounting substrate 11. The rotary encodingunit 12 is adapted for being moved in the horizontal direction within apre-set range, whilst the push switch unit 13 is fixed.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 7, the contact mounting substrate 11 includes acontact plate 19 comprising a molded resin member in the form of a flatplate having recesses 15,17 and a terminal 18. The recess 15 has a guiderail 14 for movement of the rotary encoding unit 12, while the recess 17has a retention wall section 16 for immobilizing the push switch unit13. The terminal 18 serves for transmitting electrical signals of therotary encoding unit 12 to outside.

[0116] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rotary encoding unit 12 includesa box-shaped casing 20 of molded resin fitted in the recess 15 of thecontact mounting substrate 11 and retained for movement within a pre-setrange in the horizontal direction as indicated by arrow Hi in FIGS. 6and 9, and elastic contact legs 21, 22 protruded upwards and downwardsfrom an elastic contact member 45 mounted by insert molding on thebottom surface of the box-shaped casing 20. The rotary encoding unit 12also includes a rotary member 25 of synthetic resin retained forrotational movement by a columnar shaft 23 formed integrally with themid portion of the box-shaped casing 20 and which includes a disc-shapedradial contact plate 24 on the lower surface of which is elasticallycontacted the elastic contact leg 21, and a peripheral actuating typecircular knob 27 mounted by a screw 26 over the rotary member 25 forrotationally actuating the rotary member 25. With the rotary encodingunit 12, the lateral surface of the box-shaped casing 20 is pushed inthe horizontal direction by a torsion coil spring 29 positioned by apin-shaped projection 28 on the contact mounting substrate 11 (see FIGS.7 and 11) so that the rotary encoding unit 12 is biased to a positionspaced in a normal state apart from the push switch unit 13. Moreover,the elastic contact leg 22, protruded downwards from the bottom surfaceof the box-shaped casing 20, is in elastic contact with the contactplate 19 of the contact mounting substrate 11.

[0117] The push switch unit 13 is secured by fitting in the recess 17 inthe contact mounting substrate 11 so that an actuating button 30 facesthe rotary encoding unit 12, with the rear end of the button compressingagainst the retention wall section 16. 19, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0118] A driving projection 31 formed integrally with the box-shapedcasing 20 of the rotary encoding unit 12 compresses against the distalend of the actuating button 30 of the push switch unit 13, as shown inFIG. 9. The foregoing is the structure of the jog dial. When the jogdial is to be mounted on an electronic equipment, legs 11A, 11B on thelower surface of the contact mounting substrate 11, the connectionterminal 18 of the rotary encoding unit 12 and a connection terminal 32of the push switch unit 13 are introduced and soldered in mountingopenings 33A, 34B, 35 and 36 of a printed circuit board 33 of theelectronic equipment, with the jog dial being mounted in position withthe end of the peripheral actuating knob 27 of the rotary encoding unit12 opposite to the push switch unit 13 protruding from a gap of anexterior casing 37 of the electronic equipment.

[0119] The operation of the jog dial is explained. Referring first toFIGS. 10 and 11, a protruding portion 27A from the exterior casing 37 ofthe peripheral actuating knob 27 mounted on the upper end of the rotaryencoding unit 12 is acted upon by a tangential force so as to perform arotational movement, whereby the rotary member 25 is rotated about thecenter columnar shaft 23 of the box-shaped casing 20 as the center ofrotation. The upper elastic contact leg 21 then slides in elasticcontact with the radial contact plate 24 provided on its lower surface.This sliding contact portion generates pulse signals timed to therotational actuation of the peripheral actuating knob 27.

[0120] The generated pulse signals are transmitted from the upperelastic contact leg 21 to the lower elastic contact leg 22 and thence tothe contact plate 19 on the contact mounting substrate 11 to which iselastically contacted the elastic contact leg 22. The pulse signals arethen transmitted to the circuit of the printed circuit board 33 of theelectronic equipment through the terminal 18 for external connection.

[0121] The protruding portion 27A of the peripheral actuating knob 27then is acted upon with a thrusting force in the horizontal directioninterconnecting the center of the knob and the push switch unit 13, asindicated by arrow H2, against the biasing force of the torsion coilspring 29 provided on the contact mounting substrate 11, as shown inFIG. 12, to cause movement of the entire rotary encoding unit 12 in thehorizontal direction along the guide rail unit 14 of the contactmounting substrate 11 to push the actuating button 30 with theprojection 31 provided on the box-shaped casing 20. The resulting signalis transmitted to the circuitry of the printed circuit board 33 of theelectronic equipment through a connection terminal 21 shown in FIG. 10.

[0122] If the thrusting force applied to the peripheral actuating knob27 is removed, the rotary encoding unit 12 is pushed back under theelastic recoiling force of the torsion coil spring 29 of the contactmounting substrate 11 to resume the state shown in FIG. 11.

[0123] In the above-described structure, the elastic contact leg 22,protruded downwards from the bottom surface of the box-shaped casing 20of the rotary encoding unit 12, elastically contacts the contact plate19 of the contact mounting substrate 11, as means for transmitting theelectrical signals of the rotary encoding unit 12 to the contact plate18 of the contact mounting substrate 11 Alternatively, the elasticcontact leg may be protruded from the contact mounting substrate 11 soas to be elastically contacted with the contact plate on the bottomsurface of the box-shaped casing 20. The foregoing is the explanation ofthe structure and the operation of the jog dial 4 provided on the rightlateral surface of the main body portion 2.

[0124] Of course, the jog dial 4 may be provided on the left lateralsurface of the main body portion 2. The jog dial 4 may also be arrangedcentrally of the front surface of the main body portion 2 so that thejog dial 4 can be actuated with a thumb finger as the touch pad 6 isactuated with the index finger. The jog dial may also be arranged on theleft or right surface of the display portion 3 carrying the LCD 7, oralong the left or right edge of the touch pad 6. The jog dial may alsobe arranged longitudinally between left and right buttons orlongitudinally between G and H keys of the keyboard unit 5. The jog dialmay also be arranged in an angled direction to permit facilitatedactuation with respective fingers without distinction as to longitudinalor transverse directions. The jog dial 4 may also be arranged at aposition permitting actuation with a thumb finger on a lateral surfaceof the mouse as the pointing device. A n exemplary electrical structureof the notebook personal computer 1 is explained with reference to FIG.2. a central processing unit (CPU) 11 comprises e.g., Pentium(trademark) of INTEL INC., and is connected to a host bus 52. To thehost bus 52 is connected a north bridge 53 which in turn is connected toa PCI bus 56. The north bridge 53 comprises e.g., 400BX manufactured byINTEL. INC., and is adapted for controlling the CPU 51 or the mainmemory 54 with its periphery. The north bridge 53 and the south bridge58, as later explained, constitute a so-called chip set.

[0125] The north bridge 53 also is connected to a main memory 54 and toa cache memory 55 adapted for caching data used by the CPU 51. Althoughnot shown, a first-order cache memory is enclosed in the CPU 51.

[0126] The main memory 54 comprises e.g., a DRAM (dynamic read-onlymemory) adapted for storing the programs executed by the CPU 51 or datanecessary for the operation by the CPU 51. Specifically, at the timepoint of end of startup, an E-mail program 54A, an auto-pilot program54B, a jog dial state monitor program 54C, a jog dial driver 54D, anoperating program (OS) 54E and other application programs 54F1 to 54Fnare transferred from an HDD 70 for storage in the main memory 54.

[0127] The E-mail program 54A is a program for exchanging communicationtext over the network with communication networks, such as telephonenetwork 76, over a modem 75, which will be explained subsequently. TheE-mail program 54A also has the function of acquiring oncoming mails asa specified function. This oncoming mail acquiring function inquireswhether or not a mail addressed to the user has arrived at the mail box79 to a mail server 78 of a provider 77 and acquired a mail addressed tothe user, if any.

[0128] The auto-pilot program 54B sequentially starts pre-set pluralprocessing operations or programs to perform the processing.

[0129] The OS (basic program software) 54E, typified by the Windows 95or Windows 98 (trademarks) by MICROSOFT INC. or MAC OS (trademark) byAPPLE COMPUTER INC., controls the basic operations of the computers.

[0130] The jog dial state monitor program 54C receives the notice fromthe respective application as to whether or not the applications areadapted for coping with the jog dial. If the notice is affirmative, thejog dial state monitor program 54C operates to demonstrate what can bedone by actuating the jog dial 4. The jog dial state monitor program 54Cis usually in a state of awaiting an event of the jog dial 4 and owns alist for receiving notices from the application. The jog dial statemonitor program 54C is responsive to the actuation of the jog dial statemonitor program 54C to execute various functions.

[0131] A video controller 57 is connected to a PCI bus 56 and is adaptedfor controlling the display on the LCD 7 on the display portion 3.

[0132] To the PCI bus 56 is connected a sound controller 64 adapted forcapturing an input from a microphone 66 or supplying audio signals to aspeaker 65. To the PCI bus 56 is also connected a modem 75 which can beconnected over a public telephone network 76 or an Internet serviceprovider 77 to a communication network 80, such as Internet, or to amail server 78.

[0133] To the PCI bus 56 is also connected the south bridge 58comprising e.g., PIIX4E of INTEL INC. and which is adapted forcontrolling various I/O (input/output). That is, the south bridge 58comprises an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) controller/configurationregister 59, timer circuit 60 and an IDE interface 61, and is adaptedfor controlling a device connected to the IDE bus 62 or a deviceconnected via an IS A/EIO (Industry Standard Architecture/Extended InputOutput) bus 63 or an embedded controller 68.

[0134] The IDE controller/configuration register 59 is made up of twoIDE controllers, namely a so-called primary IDE controller and asecondary IDE controller, and a configuration register. These IDEcontrollers are not shown for simplicity of the drawings.

[0135] The primary IDE controller is connected over the IDE bus 62 to aconnector, not shown. An HDD 67 is connected to the connector. When baydevices, as so-called IDE devices, such as CD-ROM drive, second HDD orFDD, not shown, are loaded over other IDE buses, the secondary IDEcontroller is electrically connected to connectors of the loaded baydevices.

[0136] Meanwhile, the HDD 67 has stored therein plural applicationprograms 67F1 to 67Fn, in addition to the autopilot program 67B,auto-pilot program 54B, jog dial state monitor program 54C, jog dialdriver 54D and the OS (basic program software) 67E. The above-mentionedrespective programs 67A, 67B, 67C, 67D, 67E and 67F1 to Fn in the HDD 67are sequentially transferred to the RAM 54 for storage therein duringthe startup (bootstrap) process.

[0137] To the ISA/EIO bus 63 is also connected an embedded controller 68which comprises a micro-controller and which is used as an I/Ocontroller. That is, the embedded controller 68 is constructed by aninterconnection of an I/O interface 69, a ROM 70, a RAM 71 and a CPU 72.

[0138] In the ROM 70, there are stored from the outset a LED controlprogram 70A, a touchpad input monitor program 70B, a key input monitorprogram 70C, a wakeup program 70D and a jog dial state monitor program70E.

[0139] The LED control program 70A is a program for controlling thelighting of a lamp, such as a power source lamp PL, a battery lamp BL, amessage lamp ML, if necessary, or other LEDs. The touchpad input monitorprogram 70B is a program for monitoring the user input from the touchpad 6. The key input monitor program 70C is a program for monitoring theinput from the keyboard 5 or other key switches. The wakeup program 70Dis a program for checking, based on current time data supplied from atimer circuit 60 within the south bridge 58, whether or not the time isthe pre-set time and, should the time be the pre-set time, various chippower sources are managed for starting pre-set processing operations orprograms.

[0140] The jog dial state monitor program 70E is a program forperpetually monitoring whether the rotary encoding unit 12 of the jogdial 4 has been rotated or pressed. The jog dial state monitor program70E will be explained in detail subsequently.

[0141] In the ROM 70 is further written BIOS (basic input/output system)70F. The BIOS is a basic input/output system, that is a software programcontrolling data exchange (input/output) between the OS or theapplication software and peripherals, such as display, keyboard or HDD.

[0142] The RAM 71 includes registers for a touchpad input status, a keyinput status and for time setting, and a jog dial status monitor I/Oregister, as registers 71A to 71F. For example, an LED control register71A controls the lighting of a message lamp ML displaying theinstantaneous rising state of the E-mail on thrusting the jog dial 4 asexplained later. The key input status register 71C stores an actuatingkey flag when the jog dial 4 is pushed for one-touch operation as laterexplained. The time setting register 71D is able to set optional time.

[0143] To the embedded controller 68 are connected the jog dial 4, touchpad 6 and the keyboard 5 through a connector, not shown, to outputsignals associated with the operations of the jog dial 4, touch pad 6and the keyboard 4 to the ISA/EIO bus 63. To the embedded controller 68are also connected the power source lamp PL, battery lamp BL, messagelamp ML and other LED lamps.

[0144] To the embedded controller 68 is also connected a power sourcecontrol circuit 73 in turn connected to an enclosed battery 74 or an ACpower source. The power source control circuit 73 furnishes thenecessary power to each block, while managing control to chargesecondary batteries of the peripherals. The embedded controller 68 alsomonitors a power source switch 8 operated on turning the power source onor off.

[0145] The embedded controller 68 is able to execute the above-mentionedprograms 70A to 70E by an internal power source at all times even whenthe power source 8 is turned off That is, the above-mentioned programsare running at all times even if no windows are opened on the LCD 7 ofthe display portion 3. That is, the embedded controller 68 executes thejog dial state monitor program 70E at all times even when the powersource switch 8 is off or the OS54 is not started on the CPU 51. Inparticular, the embedded controller 68 furnishes the function of aprogrammable power key (PPK) to the notebook personal computer 1 even ifthe computer is not provided with a dedicated key, such that the desiredsoftware or the script file can be started simply when the user pushesthe jog dial 4 in the power saving mode or in a power down state.

[0146] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, the operation of the e48 onexecution of the jog dial state monitor program 70E is explained. FIG.14 shows the hardware configuration for monitoring of the state of therotary encoding unit 12 of the jog dial 4 by the embedded controller 68through a rotation sensor 85. FIG. 15 shows a flowchart for illustratingthe execution of the jog dial state monitor program 70E by the embeddedcontroller 68. FIG. 16 shows a timing chart for illustrating theoperation of the rotation sensor 85 shown in FIG. 14.

[0147] When the rotary encoding unit 12 of the jog dial 4 is rotatedtowards left or right, the rotation sensor 85 detects whether therotation of the rotary encoding unit 12 is the leftward rotation or therightward rotation, based on the timing of the signals A and B shown inFIG. 16. If the rotation of the rotary encoding unit 12 is detected tobe the rightward rotation, the rotation sensor 85 sends a rightwardrotation pulse to a counter (1) 86 of the embedded controller 68.Conversely, should the rotation of the rotary encoding unit 12 bedetected to be the leftward rotation, the rotation sensor 85 sends aleftward rotation pulse to a counter (2) 87 of the embedded controller68.

[0148] The embedded controller 68 executes the jog dial state monitorprogram 70E to monitor the variation of the counter (1) 86 and thecounter (2) 87, difference therebetween and whether or not the jog dial4 has been pushed, by polling at intervals of 5 ms.

[0149] First, at step S1 in FIG. 15, the count value counter 1(T−1) attune T−1 is subtracted from the count value Counter 1(T) at current timeT of the rightward rotation pulse to find the variation Counter 1 of thecount value of a counter 87.

[0150] Then, at step S2, the count value Counter 1(T−1) at time T−1 issubtracted from the count value Counter 1 (T) at current time T of theleftward rotation pulse to find the variation Counter 2 of the countvalue of a counter 87.

[0151] At step S3, the difference between the variations of the countvalues, that is the difference between the variation Counter 1 and thevariation Counter 2, is found. If this difference between the variationsis negative, the rotation is leftward.

[0152] On the other hand, the pressed state of the jog dial 4 isacquired at step S4. At step S5, the variations as found at step S3 arechecked. At step S6, it is checked whether or not the pressed state ofthe jog dial 4 has been changed. If it is verified that the variation isdetected at step S5, or that the pressed state has been changed at stepS6, the current pressed state of the jog dial 4 and the variation arenotified by interrupt through an I/O register 71F to the jog dial driver54D, started by the CPU 51.

[0153] If there is no change at step S6 in the pressed state of the jogdial 4, the program moves to step S8, where the polling is terminatedand the processing as from step S1 is repeated after lapse of 5 ms.

[0154] After the power source switch 8 is turned on, the CPU 51 executesthe jog dial state monitor program 54C in accordance with the procedureshown in FIG. 17.

[0155] That is, at step S31, it is perpetually monitored whether or notthe jog dial 4 has been acted upon. It is also monitored whether or notthe E-mail program 54A or other applications 54F1 to 54Fn have beenactivated. Here, the state of the jog dial 4 is monitored to monitor theprocessing from the jog dial state monitor program 70E on the side ofthe CPU 51 through the jog dial driver 54D, with the operation beingsubstantially the same as the operation explained with reference to FIG.14.

[0156] If a notice on the operation of the jog dial 4 is sent at stepS32 from the jog dial driver 54D, the program moves to step S33 where itis verified whether or not there is any active application. If there isno active application, the program proceeds to the launcher operationand, if otherwise, to an event operation. The launcher operation meansthe operation of selecting the registered application.

[0157] The launcher operation is explained briefly. This launcheroperation is valid on the condition that there is currently no activeapplication, as described above. In the jog dial menu are displayedapplications previously registered in the launcher list. In the launcherlist, there are registered application associated with the jog dial.

[0158] When the launcher operation is executed, the jog dial menuindicating the launcher state is demonstrated on the LCD 7. In the jogdial menu, there is displayed and started a list of applicationsassociated with the jog dial.

[0159] Assume that, when the pre-set OS54E has been started by the CPU51, there is no activated application, and the user has pressed the jogdial 4 once in the direction indicated by arrow b in FIG. 4. The pushedstate of the jog dial 4 then is received by the jog dial driver 54D bythe forwarding of the flag state through the I/O register by interrupt,as explained with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16. So, the jog dial driver54D routes an actuation notice to the jog dial state monitor program 54Csimilarly executed by the CPU 51.

[0160] The CPU 51 then starts the application program pre-registered inthe launcher list in association with the jog dial for adjusting thevolume of the speaker 65, luminance of the LCD 7 and its contrast andselecting the application, so that a jog dial menu shown in FIG. 18 isdemonstrated on the LCD 7 of the display portion 3 shown in FIG. 2. Inthis jog dial menu, there re displayed menu items “sound volume”,“luminance”, “contrast” and “selection of the application”, associatedwith the processing operations of the sound volume adjustment,adjustment of luminance on the display portion, contrast adjustment andthe selection of the application. In this example, the selector A isdisplayed as the initial state on the menu item “sound volume”.

[0161] When the user then scrolls, that is rotates, the jog dial 4 inthe direction indicated by arrow a in FIG. 4, for causing the movementof the selector A, the embedded controller 68 executes the calculations,explained with reference to FIG. 15, in accordance with the jog dialstate monitor program 70E, and notifies the calculated variation to thejog dial driver 54D executed on the CPU 51.

[0162] The jog dial driver 54D then routes an actuation notice to thejog dial state monitor program 54C so that the CPU 51 causes theselector A to be shifted to a menu item desired to be executed by theuser. If, when the jog dial menu of FIG. 17 is displayed on the LCD 7,that is when the selector A is demonstrated on the “sound volume”, theuser rotates, that is scrolls, the jog dial 4 downwards a pre-setdistance or angle as indicated by arrow a in FIG. 4, the selector Ashifts to the menu item “luminance”. If the user rotates the jog dial 4further downwards, the selector A shifts to the menu item “selection ofthe application”, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0163] If, as a result of the rotating actuation by the user of the jogdial 4, the selector A has shifted to the menu item corresponding to thedesired processing, the user pushes the jog dial 4 down in the directionindicated by arrow b in FIG. 4, by way of performing the selectingoperation. So, if the selector A is displayed on the menu item“luminance”, as shown for example in FIG. 19, the sub-menu associatedwith the menu item “luminance” is displayed, as shown in FIG. 21. In thepresent example, six sub-menus “5” to “0”, corresponding to the sub-menu“5” selected when the luminance is to be maximum through to the sub-menu“0” selected when the luminance is to be minimum, are displayed. Theamount of the variation of the jog dial 4 corresponding to the rotatingprocessing of the jog dial 4 by the user is found by the processing bythe embedded controller 68 shown in FIG. 15 and is sent to the jog dialdriver 54D, while being monitored by the jog dial state monitor program54C, to cause movement of the selector B.

[0164] On the other hand, if the selector A is displayed on the menuitem “selection of the application”, as shown in FIG. 20, the sub-menucorresponding to the menu item “selection of the application”, isdisplayed by the selecting operation by the user, as shown in FIG. 22.In the present example, the sub-menu item “word processor”, selected onstartup of a word processor application, sub-menu item “E-mail” selectedon startup of an E-mail program, sub-menu item “table calculations”selected on startup of a table calculation program, sub-menu item“Internet” selected on startup of an Internet program and the sub-menuitem table “calculator” selected on startup of a table calculatorprogram, are demonstrated. In the present example, the selector B on thesub-menu is demonstrated on the topmost submenu item.

[0165] The user then rotates the jog dial 4 to cause the selector B tobe moved to the submenu item desired to be selected, and then pressesthe jog dial 4 to perform the selecting operation. This selects thesubmenu item displayed on the selector B to permit the correspondingprocessing to be executed. If, for example, the submenu item “3” in theexample of FIG. 21 is selected, the luminance corresponding to thesubmenu item “3” is set. On the other hand, if the sub-menu item“Internet” is selected in the example of FIG. 21, the Internet programis started.

[0166] The case in which, after turning on of the power source switch 8,the CPU 51 executes the jog dial state monitor program 54C, and there isan active application at step S33 in FIG. 17, is explained. This casecorresponds to the event operation described above. The applicationneeds to be associated with the jog dial and specifically is to be apre-set application program having a picture displaying function. In thepresent instance, the map of Japan shown in FIG. 23 is displayed on theLCD 7 by the application program. If the user rotates the jog dial 4 inthis case, the picture is enlarged at a point indicated by a printer asthe center, as shown in FIG. 24.

[0167] If the jog dial 4 is rotated in the opposite direction to thatwhen the picture is enlarged, the picture is contracted, that isrestored to the original size. So, in the pre-set application programhaving the picture displaying function associated with the jog dial, thepicture displayed on the LCD 7 can be contracted or enlarged inassociation with the rotating operation of the jog dial 4.

[0168] The above-mentioned applications as the specified examples areboth the jog dial related software. However, not all applications storedin the HDD 67 and memorized in the RAM 54 after completion of the OS54Estartup are not associated with the jog dial 4. For example, theapplication 54F3 is not associated with the jog dial. The processing onthe jog dial which the CPU allocates to the jog dial related applicationand to the jog dial unrelated application. For this reason, the jog dialrelated application notifies to the jog dial state monitor program 54Cexecuted on the CPU 51 in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG.26.

[0169] First, at step S61, the jog dial related application declares tothe jog dial state monitor program 54C that it is a jog dial relatedapplication. The jog dial state monitor program 54C then at step S62adds the application software to the list of the jog dial relatedsoftware.

[0170] Although not shown specifically, in the above explanation, thejog dial menu display may also be made known to the user in the form ofa jog dial guide as a display proper to the application.

[0171] That is, at step S63, the jog dial related application notifiesthe illustration of the jog dial operation in the current state to thejog dial state monitor program 54C by a letter string. At step S64, ajog dial window 90 shown in FIG. 27 is displayed at step S64 todemonstrate letter strings, such as “jog dial guide”, “zoom”, “in”,“fit” or “out”.

[0172] The jog dial related application at step S65 changes the letterstrings depending on the state of the activated window to rewrite thelist of the jog dial state monitor program 54C. So, if the jog dialrelated application is active, the display of the jog dial window 90demonstrates, in letter strings, the illustration as to which operationis to be performed by the application subject to jog dial actuation.

[0173] The application is classed into a jog dial related applicationand a jog dial non-related application, as discussed above. Thedistinction between the jog dial related application and the jog dialnon-related application is made in accordance with the procedure shownin FIG. 24.

[0174] First, at step S51, the UI which performs an event operation isdisplayed on a window.

[0175] It is then checked at step S52 whether or not the application isa jog dial related application corresponding to a pre-registered activeapplication and a decision is given at step S53. If, at step S53, theapplication is verified to be a jog-dial non-related application, theprogram moves to step S54 to make a message notice proper to the jogdial in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. 15. If theapplication is a jog-dial non-related application, the program moves tostep S55 to make standard message notice.

[0176] Specified examples of the jog-dial related application and thejog-dial non-related application are shown below.

[0177] A first specified example is an application software showing atag on a desk top for realizing the time-shiftable desktop environment,as disclosed in JP Patent Application No.11-108535 (Internal PriorityApplication H-10-321772) proposed by the present Assignee. FIG. 25 showsexemplary picture in case temporal cooperation is made between anapplication for realizing a time-shiftable desktop environment and anapplication of a picture browser. It is assumed that, in FIG. 25,retrieval is made on a desk top by an application realizing thetime-shiftable desktop environment and time shifting is made until agiven letter string presents itself on the desk top. It is assumed that,in the present embodiment, a letter string “wearable” is inputted to aretrieved letter input space 125, the letter string “wearable” isretrieved by an application realizing the time-shiftable desktopenvironment and the icon or the letter string used at a time of aconference pertinent to the on a time-shiftable desktop window 200letter string “wearable” is displayed on the time-shiftable desktopwindow 200. It the present case, the desktop environment of theconference held on Nov. 20, 1998 Friday at 3 pm is displayed on thewindow 200, as may be seen from the displayed contents of a date andtime display 127. If the “application time” is determined by theapplication realizing the time-shiftable desktop environment asdiscussed above, the time information is notified to a picture browser,which, on reception of the time information, displays the photo pictureshot at the adapted for time (time during conference). In the presentcase, a photo picture shot on Nov. 20, 1998 at 4 pm is displayed on thewindow 201. If conversely the picture browser is acted upon, the stateof the desktop at a time point of the picture photographing isregenerated. Therefore, it can be understood under which situation thephoto is shot, even though no caption (explanation) is attached to thepicture. If the application is associated with the event operation ofthe jog dial 4, the temporal moving direction and quantity of thetime-shiftable desktop 200 can be acted on by the jog dial 4. That is,for example, a jog dial window 90 may be displayed on the lower rightcorner of the time-shiftable desktop 200 to realize temporal movement tothe past or to the future in association with the scrolling of the jogdial 4.

[0178] A second specified example is the Smart Capture (trademark) as atool for capturing still and moving pictures of a digital video camera.

[0179] A third specified example is the MediaBar as a music actuatingtool. In this MediaBar, playback of the next number or the previousnumber may be selected or playback may be paused by scrolling with e.g.,a jog dial or a keyboard.

[0180] A fourth specified example is the SmartPad (trademark) as ahandwriting memo tool employing a touch pad 6. The touch pad 6 is usedas absolute coordinate detection means. The handwritten memo input fromthe touch pad 6 is processed by the drawing application and displayed.

[0181] As a fifth specified example, a schedule management tool, forexample, may be used.

[0182] The setting of the jog dial is explained. By actuation of a “setup” button of the jog dial window 90, the picture may be shifted to ajog dial setting picture 300 shown in FIG. 26. For example, anapplication can be registered in an application list started from alauncher application. The setting is registered by selecting a softwareregistration area 301 and attaching a jog dial mark to the desiredapplication. The setting registration comes to a close on clicking an OKbutton.

[0183] A label software of the present embodiment is now explained.

[0184] The label software of the present embodiment is an applicationprogram for realizing, on a desktop screen of a personal computer, theoperation of exploiting a tag sheet attached as an index mark tio apaper document, writing a memo on the tag sheet and affixing itsomewhere for use as a reminder. In the present embodiment, the labelsheet displayed on the desk top screen is called a label sheet and anapplication program for displaying the label on the desk top is calledthe label software.

[0185] The label software of the present embodiment has the functions ofhandling the text of letters or symbols, still pictures, speech or musicsound, as an object that can be affixed to the label as a tag sheetdisplayed on the desk top, editing a text affixed to the label, therecording and/or reproducing function of the sound affixed to the label,capturing/displaying a picture to be affixed to the label andcooperating with a application software fir capturing the picture fromthe CCD camera attached to the personal computer. The label software ofthe present embodiment also includes the functions of preparing a labelhaving a change hysteresis as the temporal management function, fullysupporting the jog dial with respect to the temporal management functionand of handling a link as an object affixed to the label.

[0186] In the structure of data handled by the label software of thepresent embodiment, having these functions, there are three items,namely a project, a label and an object. FIG. 27 shows the relationshipbetween these data.

[0187] The adapted for project is a set of all label data. Usually, aproject formulates only one project. In a project, there are all labelinformation of past, present and future. However, for furnishing samplecontents or project information exchange over the Internet, the labelsoftware of the present embodiment supports the project switching andaddition. The project will be explained in detail subsequently.

[0188] The label corresponds to a tag sheet on a desktop. The label hasthe information as from its formulation until its disposal. Thisinformation is the information on the entire operations which the userperformed through a personal computer on the label as from itsformulation until its disposal, such as size or color change of thelabel, text correction, picture change or sound change. Although thelabel position information always has the attributes of displaying thelatest information, the information between the labels, between thewindows or between the label and the window is not held. The label maybe classed into three sorts, that is the current label, past label andthe future label. The current label is a label prepared at a time aheadthe current time and which has not yet been deleted at the current timepoint. The relationship between the time of preparation of the currentlabel, the current time and the end (deletion) time is (preparingtime≦current time<end time (deletion time). The past label is a labelalready deleted at the current time point. The relationship between thetime of preparation of the current label, the end (deletion) time andthe current time is (end time (deletion time)<preparing time≦currenttime). The future label is a label not formulated as yet at the currenttime point, and the preparing time is set to a future time point. Therelationship between the current time, the time of preparation of thecurrent label and the end (deletion) time is (the current time<the timeof preparation<the end (deletion) time. The label will be explainedsubsequently in detail.

[0189] The object is data affixed in the label and may specifically beenumerated by a text object, a picture object, a sound object and a linkobject. First, the overall structure of a picture is explained.

[0190] The main constituent parts of a desk top screen when the labelsoftware of the present embodiment is executed are explained. First, theoverall structure of a screen is explained.

[0191] The label software state of the present embodiment (state of theapplication) may be classed into a normal mode and a time view mode.

[0192] The normal mode is a state in which a label has been affixed tothe desk top in a state other than the time view mode. FIG. 28 shows anexample of a desk top picture in the normal mode. In this figure, thelabel is denoted by a reference figure L. in this normal mode, an iconIL of the label software of the present embodiment is displayed on atask tray TT of the task bar TB on the desktop screen. By accessing(clicking) this icon IL using a pointing device, such as mouse, it ispossible to control the entire functions of the label softwareapplication of the present embodiment.

[0193] The time view mode is a mode in which temporal operation by thelabel software of the present embodiment is possible and which can beclassed into three states of the present, past and future modes. FIGS.29 to 31 show an illustrative structure of a desktop screen in thepresent mode, an illustrative structure of a desktop screen in the pastmode and an illustrative structure of a desktop screen in the futuremode, respectively. As may be seen from these figures, the currentstate, past state and the future state of the label contained in theproject are displayed for the present, past and future modes,respectively. On the desktop screen of FIGS. 29 to 31, letters“present”, “past”, and “future” indicating the respective modes aredisplayed at the center and at the four corners of the desktop screen ofFIGS. 29 to 31. By these indications, the user is able to visuallyrecognize the mode which prevails, that is the present mode, past modeor the future mode. Also, in the time view mode, the icon IL of thelabel software of the present embodiment is displayed on the task trayTT of the task bar TB of the desktop screen.

[0194] On switching to the time view mode, the entire area on thedesktop is covered by a label software picture and a label is displayedthereon. If there are plural monitors, the entire areas of the entiremonitors are covered by a label software picture and a label isdisplayed thereon. At this time, a time view console TVC for enablingthe display/change of the time now acted on is displayed on the screen.Meanwhile, the time view console TVC is displayed in the standard stateon the upper part of the screen. FIGS. 29 to 31 show an example ofdisplaying the time view console TVC in the lower portion of the screen.The time of the state in which the desktop display is made in the timeview mode is referred to below as the operation time.

[0195] The window screen of the label displayed on the desktop is madeup of a play/pause button, a stop button, a link button, a menu button,an object that can be affixed to the label (text, picture and sound),icons (alarm, repetition) and the like. FIG. 32 shows an example of thewindow picture of the label L. In the case of the label L, shown in FIG.32, the play/pause button PB, stop button SB, link button LB and themenu button MB are displayed and the text, sound, picture and the linkare affixed in the label L. Meanwhile, the state in which the picture isdisplayed is shown.

[0196] The play/pause button PB is used for commanding the playbackstart and the pause of the sound when the label L contains a soundobject. That is, if the label L contains the sound object, and theplay/pause button PB is pressed, such as by mouse click, the sound isreproduced, whereas, if the play/pause button PB is pressed (clicked)during the sound reproduction, the sound reproduction is paused. On theother hand, the play/pause button PB is PB is associated with a toolchip TCt indicating the play time (sound recording time) shown in FIG.33, such that, when a cursor MC is moved on the button PB, the tool tipTCt indicating the play is displayed.

[0197] The stop button SB is used for stopping the sound reproduction.If the stop button SB is pressed (clicked) during the soundreproduction, the sound reproduction is stopped.

[0198] The link button LB is used for opening the file of the linkdestination associated with the label L and for displaying the window ofthe HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). If a file path is set as anaddress of the linking destination on the label L, and the link buttonLB in the label window of FIG. 32 is pressed (clicked), the file set bythe file path is opened. If the URL (uniform resource locator) isspecified as a linking address in the label L, and the link button LB ispressed (clicked), the window of the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) isdisplayed. Also, the link button LB is associated with the tool chip TC1indicating the link contents (file path or URL of the linkingdestination), such that, when the cursor MC has been migrated onto thelink button LB, the too chip TC1 indicating the link contents isdisplayed.

[0199] The menu button MB, arranged on the right upper end of the labelwindow, is used for displaying the menu of all operations relevant tothe label, such as file, addition of new labels, time, label, help etc.If the menu button MB is pressed (clicked), the menu items, such asfile, addition of desktop screen, time, label, help etc are displayed asthe pull-down menu in the vicinity of the menu button MB. Meanwhile,when the right button of the mouse is clicked in each part of the lebel,or the application key is pushed with focussing, menu items (contextmenu items) are displayed as when the menu button MB is clicked. Thepull-down menu activated on clicking the menu button MB on the labelwindow and the context menu by the application key will be explainedsubsequently in detail.

[0200] Depending on the status or the setting of the label, an iconrepresenting the current state is displayed on the upper right part ofthe label L (left: neighboring side of the menu button MB, as anexample). The icon may be classified into an alarm icon IA and arepetitive icon IR as shown in FIG. 35. The alarm icon IA is displayedwhen an alarm is set on the label, whereas the repetitive icon IR isdisplayed when a repetitive display is set.

[0201] The label in the state of the time view mode may sometimes be acorrection-inhibited label. The correction-inhibited label is varied incolor in its edge from the color of the edge of the correctable labelfor distinction from the correctable label. That is, in the presentembodiment, distinction is made by the label color so that the user willcomprehend due to which state of the label it is uncorrectable. Forexample, the uncorrectable label is differentiated from the correctablelabel by having a purple or blue color. For example, if the label edgecolor is “purple”, it indicates that the present label is of the pastmode or the future mode and cannot be corrected (correction-inhibitedlabel). If the label color is “blue”, it indicates that the label is thepast label, which is not corrected for any modes.

[0202] The time view console TVC has two window states, that is a stateof a bar-shaped window shown in FIGS. 29 to 31 and in FIG. 36 and astate of a floating window as shown in FIG. 37. That is, the time viewconsole TVC can be dragged by a pointing device, such as a mouse. Whenthe time view console TVC is moved upwards or downwards in the screen,it is in a bar-shaped window, as shown in FIGS. 29 to 31 and in FIG. 36,and otherwise in a floating-state window, as shown in FIG. 37. Althoughthe screen configuration differs in the bar state and in the floatingstate, the function of the time view console is the same.

[0203] The bar-state window of the time view console TVC shown in FIG.36 is made up of a window title portion wt, the Christian era gauge unitcg, current button bb, an operation time display unit oti, an up-downbutton tub and tdb, time increasing/decreasing step selection list boxss1, a time increasing/decreasing step selection menu button sb, a menubutton mb, a closure button cb, a help button hb and a rotationanimation unit ra.

[0204] The window title unit wt displays a title of the window, a timeview in the present example, and displays only the title. That is, thewindow title unit wt is provided for clarifying that the applicationresponsible for the current picture in its entirety is the labelsoftware.

[0205] The Christian era gauge unit cg is provided for clarifying forthe user at a glance to which time in the Christian era corresponds thelabel currently displayed. This Christian era gauge unit cg is displayedso that the time as the label is displayed on the screen will beperpetually at the center of the gauge. A yellow vertical line, forexample, is also displayed for clearly displaying the time. That is, thetime at the center portion of the Christian era gauge unit cgcorresponds to the label of the past or future label, or to the currenttime, instead of corresponding to the real time (current time of thereal world). The Christian era gauge unit cg in the example of FIG. 36is an illustrative display for a case wherein the time of the state inwhich a label is displayed on the screen, that is the time at the gaugecenter, is November 1999. A yellow vertical line le is displayed at thegauge center. In the Christian era gauge unit cg, a red vertical line 1rindicating that the real time (current time of the real world) is e.g.,May 1999. That is, according to Christian era gauge unit cg, therelative position between the time corresponding to the displayed label,such as November 1999, and the real time, such as May 1999, can berecognized readily.

[0206] The current button bb is used for commanding restoration from thetime corresponding to the displayed label to the real time (current timeof the real world). Meanwhile, if the time is reset to the current time(current time of the real world) by the current button bb, the state ofthe label software (state of the application) is kept in the time viewmode.

[0207] The operation time display unit oti displays which time state isthe state in which a label is displayed on the screen. In the example ofFIG. 36, it is the state of the label on Nov. 11, 1999, 3.27.9 pm, thatis displayed on the screen.

[0208] The up-down buttons tub and tdb are used for advancing ordelaying the time demonstrated on the operation time display unit oti byspecified time advancing delaying unit (time advancing delaying step).Assume that there is focus on the operation time display unit oti andthat one of the year, month, day, hour, minute and second on theoperation time display unit oti is activated. If now the up-button tubis pushed, the value of the activated portion is increased by aspecified time increasing/decreasing unit (time increasing/decreasingstep ). In the label software of the present embodiment, the functionwhich is the same as that of the up/down buttons tub and tdb may also beimplemented by rotation of a wheel of a mouse fitted with the wheel,up/down operation of a cursor key or rotation of the jog dial 4. Thatis, in the present case, if there is a focus on the operation timedisplay unit oti, one of the year, month, day, hour, minute and secondon the operation time display unit oti is activated, and the wheel ofthe mouse fitted with the wheel is rotated, the up/down cursor key on akeyboard is pushed, or the jog dial 4 is rotated. The value of theactivated portion is increased or decreased in specified timeincreasing/decreasing units (time increasing/decreasing steps) toadvance or lag the time.

[0209] The time increasing/decreasing step selection list box ss1demonstrates the time increasing/decreasing unit (timeincreasing/decreasing step) in case the time of the operation timedisplay unit oti is increased and decreased. Stated differently, thereis displayed in the time increasing/decreasing step selection list boxss1 the time increasing/decreasing unit (time increasing/decreasingstep) of an activated one of the year, month, day, hour, minute andsecond, as the activated time display portion, demonstrated on the timeincreasing/decreasing step selection list box ss1 in the example of FIG.36. In the present embodiment, the time increasing/decreasing units(time increasing/decreasing steps) are 100 years, 10 years, 1 year, 1month, 1 hour, 1 minute, 1 second and varying time point. One of thesetime increasing/decreasing steps is displayed in the timeincreasing/decreasing step selection list box ss1. Meanwhile, the timeincrease/decrease in varying time units means increasing/decreasing thetime with the time as from a time point when certain operation is madeon the label by the user to modify the label, such as label movement,size change or object correction, that is a time point the label stateon the desktop is changed, until the time point of occurrence of thenext change, as one unit. So, if the time is increased or decreased interms of the varying time units, the time interval of change with theincrease/decrease at the change point is not constant.

[0210] The time increasing/decreasing step selection menu button sb isused for specifying the time increasing/decreasing steps demonstrated onthe time increasing/decreasing step selection list box ss1 by a menuselection button. Stated differently, the time increasing/decreasingstep selection menu button sb is used for selecting the time displayingportion, that is the year, month, day, hour, minute or second displayedon the operation time display unit oti, that is desired to be activated.If this time increasing/decreasing step selection menu button sb ispushed, that is clicked, the time increasing/decreasing units (timeincreasing/decreasing steps), such as 100 years, 10 years, 1 year, 1month, 1 hour, 1 minute, 1 second and on varying time unit, is displayedas a pull-down menu below the time increasing/decreasing step selectionmenu button sb. Therefore, by selecting the desired timeincreasing/decreasing step, the corresponding time displaying portionfrom the indications of the year, month, day, hour, minute and second isselected and activated. That is, if, for example, the 1 month isselected from the pull-down menu of the time increasing/decreasing stepselection menu button sb, the month displaying portion of the displayportions of the year, month, day, hour, minute and second is activated.In this state, rotation of the up/down buttons tub and tdb or the wheelof the mouse fitted with such wheel, thrusting the up/down cursor keydownwards or rotation of the jog dial 4 enables the month can bechanged.

[0211] Moreover, in the label software of the present embodiment, thesame function as the function of selecting the timeincreasing/decreasing steps by the time increasing/decreasing stepselection menu button sb may be realized by rotation of the up/downbuttons tub and tdb or the wheel of the mouse fitted with such wheel,thrusting the up/down cursor key downwards or rotation of the jog dial4. That is, in the present case, if, with the focus on the operationtime display unit oti, the wheel of the mouse fitted with such wheel isrotated, the left or right cursor key is pressed down, or the jog dial 4is rotated, one of the time displaying portions arrayed in theleft-and-right direction on the operation time display unit oti, that isthe year, month, day, hour, minute and the seconds, may be selected tothe activated state.

[0212] If the time is increased/decreased by operation of the mousefitted with the wheel, it is possible to detect e.g., the continuousoperation of a keyboard, rotational speed of the wheel of the mousefitted with such wheel or that of the jog dial to change the timeadvancing or time lagging responsive to the detected results in anaccelerating fashion. This provides for facilitated movement to thetarget time. Meanwhile, if the time increasing/decreasing step selectingfunction is implemented by the rotation of the mouse fitted with thewheel or the jog dial, it is necessary to set the environment foraffording the rotation of the mouse fitted with the wheel, or the jogdial with the selecting function for the time increasing/decreasingsteps.

[0213] The menu button mb is used for demonstrating the entire operatingmenus relevant to a project, such as file, addition of new labels ortime labels. If the menu button mb is pressed (clicked), operatingmenus, such as file, addition of new labels, time or label are displayedas the pull-down menu in the vicinity of the menu button MB. Meanwhile,when the right button of the mouse is clicked in each part of the timeview console TVC, or the application key is pushed with focussing, menuitems (context menu items) are displayed as when the menu button MB isclicked. The pull-down menu activated on clicking the menu button mb onthe time view console and the context menu by the application key willbe explained subsequently in detail.

[0214] The closure button cb is a button for commanding closure of thetime view console.

[0215] The help button hb is used for commanding the display of the helpwindow used for checking into unclear points when a user acts on thelabel software of the present embodiment.

[0216] The rotation animation unit ra is used for visually demonstratingthe time shifting to the user by animation display in such a manner asto rotate the rotation animation unit ra with changes in the operationtime. The direction of rotation is reversed when the time proceeds tofuture from that when the time proceeds to past. FIG. 38 shows only thevicinity of the rotation animation unit ra on the left end of the timeview console TVC in the bar state. If attention is directed tothe→portion in the drawing, it may be seen how the rotation animationunit ra is rotated in the sequence of (a), (b) and (c) in FIG. 38. Bymaking the animation display in which the rotation animation unit ra isrotated in this manner, it is possible to permit the user to recognizehow the time is changed.

[0217] The floating-state window of the time view console TVC shown inFIG. 37 is made up of a window title portion wt, for indicating thetitle of the window, the time view console in the instant embodiment, awindow menu unit wm for displaying the operating menu pertinent to theproject, such as file, addition of new label, time, label or help, theChristian era gauge unit cg, similar to that in the bar state window, acurrent button bb, an operation time display unit oti, an up-down buttontub and tdb, time increasing/decreasing step selection list box ss1, anda time increasing/decreasing step selection menu button sb. Meanwhile,the closure button for commanding the closure of the time view consolein the case of FIG. 37 is an “X” button. The window menu unit wm of thetime view console in the floating state will be explained subsequently.

[0218] The screen structure of an icon IL of the label software of thepresent embodiment, as demonstrated on the task tray TT of the task barTB on the desktop screen, is hereinafter explained.

[0219] If, as the cursor is moved on the icon IL of the label softwaredisplayed on the task tray TT, the clicking by pressing the left buttonof the mouse is repeated, the label software of the present embodimentalternately repeats the “all display” state and the “all hide” state ofthe label. If the cursor is moved on the icon IL, and the left button ofthe cursor is pushed twice by way of double clicking, the label softwareof the present embodiment performs the default operation pre-set by theuser by e.g., the environment setting, such as addition of new labels,addition of new labels and the sound recording, addition of new labelsand acquisition of captured picture or entrance to the time view mode.If, as the cursor is moved on the icon IL, the right button of the mouseis clicked, the label software of the present embodiment displays theentire operating menu for the project of the label software. FIGS. 39 to42 show an illustrative display of an operating menu when the state of“all display” is specified for the label in the normal mode, anillustrative display of the operating menu when the state of “all hide”is specified for the label in the normal mode, in the present mode, anillustrative structure of a desktop screen in the past mode and anillustrative structure of a desktop screen in the future mode,respectively.

[0220] The icons IL are adapted for being different in color in thepresent, past and future modes. The icons of different designs aredisplayed in the “all hide” state and “all display” state for thepresent mode. For example, FIGS. 43(a), (b) and (c) show an example ofthe icon IL of the present mode, an example of the icon IL of the futuremode and an example of the icon IL in the “all hide” state,respectively. This permits the user to know the current state visuallywithout opening the menu on the task tray TT (menu of FIGS. 39 to 42).The menu in the icon IL on the task tray TT will be explained in detailsubsequently.

[0221] In the label software of the present embodiment, there exist nomain menu itself, however, the variable menus, such as those describedabove are displayed. The menus displayed are the menu button MB on thelabel L, menu button mb on the time view console TVC and the contextmenu (menu displayed on clicking the right button of the mouse orpressing the application key).

[0222] First, the items of the pull-down menu displayed on clicking themenu button MB on the label window are explained. The menus by the menubutton MB of the label window contain menu items for the entireoperations concerning the label. Among the items of the operating menufor the label, there are such items as “time view mode”, “text”,“sound”, “picture”, “memo”, “link”, “label”, “arraying”, “backgroundcolor”, “layout”, “property”, “file” or “label deletion”.

[0223] The menu item “time view” are used for switchingdisplay/non-display of the above-mentioned time view console.

[0224] The menu items of the “text” are those concerning the editing oftexts by the above-mentioned word-processor software and are typified by“text editing”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”, “deleting”,“word-wrapping” and “font”. In “Text editing”, the text pasted on thelabel can be clipped into a clipboard. In “copying”, the test pasted ona label can be copied into the clipboard. In “deleting”, the text pastedon the label can be deleted. In “word-wrapping”, word-wrapping occurs indisplaying the text. In “font”, the font used for text display can beset.

[0225] The menu item “sound” is used for operating the sound, and istypified by “play”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”, “deleting”,“start” and “set to original size”. In the item “play”, the sound objectcan be reproduced by e.g., a music-related operating tool. In the item“pause”, the stop operation becomes possible during sound reproduction.In the item “sound recording”, the sound can be recorded newly. In theitem “clip”, the sound object pasted on a label can be clipped on aclipboard. Int the item “copy”, the sound object pasted on a label canbe copied on a clipboard. In an “item paste”, the sound object on theclipboard can be pasted on a label. In an item “delete”, a sound objectcan be deleted.

[0226] The menu item “picture” operates on a picture and includes suchitems as “display of a captured picture”, “shot”, “clip”, “copy”,“paste”, “delete” and “change to original size”. In the item “displaythe captured picture”, an application for capturing a picture, such asstill/moving picture capture tool, as described above, is started todisplay a finder. In an item “shot”, a captured picture can be pasted ona label. In an item “clip”, a picture pasted on a label can be clippedon a clipboard. In an item “copy”, the picture pasted on a label can becopied on a clipboard. In an item “paste”, the picture on the clipboardcan be pasted on a label. In an item “delete”, the picture pasted on alabel can be deleted. In an item “set to original size, the picture canbe displayed to an original size”.

[0227] The menu item “memo” is for an operation for handwriting memo bythe above-mentioned handwriting tool and includes such items as “clip”,“copy”, “paste”, “delete”, “start” and “set to original size”. In theitem “clipping”, the handwritten memo pasted on a label can be clippedinto a clipboard. In the item “copying”, the handwritten memo pasted ona label can be copied into a clipboard. In the item “pasting”, thehandwritten memo in a clipboard can be pasted on a label. In the item“deleting”, the the handwritten memo pasted on a label can be deleted.In the item “start”, a handwriting application for reading thehandwritten input through a touch-pad can be started. In the item “setto original size”, a picture of the handwritten memo can be displayedwith an original size.

[0228] The menu item “link” concerns the link operation and comprisessuch items as “link editing”, “opening the link”, “clipping”, “copying”,“pasting” and “deleting”. In the item “link editing”, the link pasted onthe label can be edited on a dialog. In the item “opening the link”, thefile path pasted on the label or corresponding to the URL can be opened.For example, in the case of a web (Web) page, the browser can be startedto display the page. In the item “clipping”, the link pasted on a labelcan be clipped into a clipboard. In the item “copying”, the link pastedon a label can be copied into a clipboard. In the item “pasting”, thelink in the clipboard can be pasted on a label. In the item “deleting”,the link pasted on the label can be deleted.

[0229] The menu item “label” concerns the operation on the label andincludes such items as “always forward” and “backward”. In the item“always forward”, labels can always be displayed ahead, whereas, in theitem “backwards”, labels can be displayed at the rearmost position.

[0230] The menu item “arraying” concerns the operation of arrayinglabels and include such items as “arraying at the left end of apicture”, “arraying at the right end of a picture” and “arraying at thelower end of a picture”. In these items, the labels can be arrayed atthe left end, an upper end, a right end and at a lower end of thepicture, respectively.

[0231] The menu item “background color” concerns the operation on thebackground color of a label. The background color of a label can be seton selecting the menu items of the menu item “background color”.

[0232] The menu item “layout” concerns the label layout operation andincludes such items as “re-layout by default”, “custom layout”,“expand/contract to label size”, “keep the picture aspect ratio”, “setpicture to original size” and “set handwritten picture to originalsize”. In the “re-layout by default”, re-layout becomes possible withlayout default. In the item “custom layout”, layout by a user ispossible. In the item “expand/contract to label size”, the pasted objectcan be expanded/contracted to the label size when the label size ischanged. In the item “keep the picture aspect ratio”, the aspect ratioof the original picture can be kept in re-sizing a picture. In the item“set handwritten picture to original size”, the handwritten picture canbe displayed to the original size.

[0233] With the menu item “property”, the label property can bedisplayed.

[0234] The menu item “file” is used for file operation and includes“import” and “export”. With the item “import”, it is possible to pastefile data (text data, picture data and sound data. With the item“export”, it is possible to write object data into a file.

[0235] In the menu item “label deletion”, it is possible to deletelabels.

[0236] The context menu by an application key on a label window is nowexplained. In the context menu on the label window, menu contents arechanged depending on which position on the label has been clicked by theright button of the mouse. Specifically, the menu contents are changeddepending on whether the position clicked by the right button of themouse is on the “text object”, “picture object”, “play/pause button PBor on the stop button SB”, that is on the “sound object”, on the “linkbutton LB or on the” link object, on the “handwritten picture” or onother sites (on the “label”). The menu items represented on these fivesites on the label are hereinafter explained. The contents actuallydisplayed are the same as explained in connection with the button menuMB on the label L and hence are not explained for simplicity.

[0237] The context menu on the “text object” includes such items as“text editing”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”, “deleting”,“word-wrapping”, “font”, “import file” and “export file”.

[0238] The context menu on the “picture object” includes such items as“display capture picture”, “shot”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”,“deleting”, “set to original size”, “import file” and “export file”.

[0239] The context menu on the “sound object” includes such items as“play”, “pause”, “stop”, “record”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”,“deleting”, “import file” and “export file”.

[0240] The context menu on the “sound object” includes such items as“link editing”, “open link”, “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting” and“deletion”.

[0241] The context menu on the “handwritten picture” includes such itemsas “clipping”, “copying”, “pasting”, “deletion”, “start” and “set tooriginal size”.

[0242] The context menu on the “handwritten picture” includes such itemsas “insert/edit”, “always ahead”, “backward”, “array”, “layout”,“background color”, “layout”, “property”, “import file”, “export file”and “label deletion”. The context menu on the “insert/edit” includessuch items as “text editing”, “recording”, “shot”, “link editing”,“display capture picture” and “from clipboard”. The context menu on the“array” includes such items as “array to the left end of picture”,“array on upper end of picture”, “array on right end of picture” and“array on lower end of picture”. The context menu on the “layout”includes such items as “Re-layout”, “custom layout”, “expand/contract tolabel size”, “keep picture aspect ratio”, “set picture to original size”and “set handwritten picture to original size”.

[0243] The context menu on the “custom layout” includes such items as“re-layout by default”, “expand/contract to label size”, “keep pictureaspect ratio”, “set picture to original size”, “set handwritten pictureto original size” and “edit end”.

[0244] The pull-down menu item by clicking the menu button mb of thebar-state time view console is explained. The menu by the menu button mbof the time view console include menu items of the entire operationsconcerning the time view mode. The menu by the menu button mb of thetime view console includes menu items of the entire operationsconcerning the time view mode. The operating menu items in the time viewconsole include such items as “addition of new labels “current time”,“advance time”, “delay time”, “time increasing/decreasing interval”,“time view sound”, “display capture picture”, “label”, “array”,“project”, “setting”, “retrieve help”, “on label software” and “closeconsole”. Meanwhile, explanation on the menu overlapped with the tasktray icon as later explained is omitted.

[0245] In the item “add new label”, the label formulated during theoperating time (as from the current time) can be added. The item“addition of new label” includes such items as “text label”, “soundlabel”, “from capture picture”, “from clipboard” and “from import file”.

[0246] In the item “current time”, it can be set to be synchronized tothe current time.

[0247] In the item “advance time”, it becomes possible to advance timein the future direction with the time increasing/decreasing interval asset.

[0248] In the item “delay time”, it becomes possible to advance time inthe past direction with the time increasing/decreasing interval as set.

[0249] In the item “time increasing/decreasing interval”, it is possibleto set the specified time increasing/decreasing step used in timeincreasing/decreasing with the specified time increasing/decreasingstep. The item of the “time increasing/decreasing interval” includessuch items as the “100 years”, “10 years”, “1 year”, “1 month”, “1 day”,“1 hour”, “1 minute”, “1 second” and “varying time point”. With the item“varying time point”, the label state such as labelpreparation/correction/discarding is moved to a varied step, so that thetime interval is not constant.

[0250] The item of the “label” includes such items as “all display”, allhide “” and “all delete”.

[0251] The item of the “array” includes such items as “arraying at theleft end of a picture”, “arraying at the upper end of a picture”“arraying at the right end of a picture” and “arraying at the lower endof a picture”.

[0252] The item of the “project” includes such items as “newpreparation”, “open”, “close”, “import”, “export” and “property”.

[0253] With the item “close console”, the time console can be closed toreturn to the current state.

[0254] The window menu item of the time view console in the floatingstate is explained. The window menu item of the time view console in thefloating state includes such items as “file”, “addition of new label”,“time”, “label” and “help”.

[0255] The item “file” includes such items as “display capture picture”,“project”, “time view sound”, “set” and “close console”, whilst the item“project” includes such items as “new preparation”, “open”, “close”,“import”, “export” and “property”.

[0256] The item “time view sound” includes such items as “set” and“close console”.

[0257] The item “time view sound” includes such items as “text label”,“sound label”, “from capture picture”, “from clipboard” and “from importfile”.

[0258] The item “time” includes such items as “current time”, “advancetime”, “retract time”, “100 years”, “10 years”, “1 year”, “1 month”, “1day”, “1 hour”, “1 minute”, “1 second” and “varying time point”.

[0259] The item “label” includes such items as “arraying at the left endof a picture”, “arraying at the upper end of a picture” “arraying at theright end of a picture” and “arraying at the lower end of a picture”,“display all”, “hide all” and “delete all”.

[0260] The item “help” includes such items as “retrieve help” and “onlabel software”.

[0261] The context menu by the application key on the time view consoleis now explained. Meanwhile, the contents really executed are the sameas those explained in connection with the menu button mb on the timeview console and hence are not explained specifically.

[0262] The context menu on the time view console includes such items as“current time”, “advance time”, “retract time”, “timeincreasing/decreasing internal”, “time view sound and” close console.The item “time increasing/decreasing interval” includes such items as“100 years”, “10 years”, “1 year”, “1 month”, “1 day”, “1 hour”, “1minute”, “1 second” and “varying time point”.

[0263] The context menu by the application key on the background windowin the time view mode is now explained. Meanwhile, the contents reallyexecuted are the same as those explained in connection with the menubutton mb on the time view console and hence are not explainedspecifically.

[0264] The context menu on the background window in the time view modeincludes such items as “addition of new label”, “current time”, “advancetime”, “retract time”, “time increasing/decreasing interval” and “closeconsole.

[0265] In the item “addition of new label”, the label formulated duringthe operating time (as from the current time) can be added. The item“addition of new label” includes such items as “text label”, “soundlabel”, “from capture picture”, “from clipboard” and “from import file”.The item “time increasing/decreasing interval” includes such items as“100 years”, “10 years”, “1 year”,“1 month”, “1 day”, “1 hour”, “1minute”, “1 second” and “varying time point”.

[0266] The context menu in the icon of the label software displayed onthe task tray TT is explained.

[0267] The contest menu by the icon on the task tray TT includes suchitems as “add new label”, “time view mode”, “time view sound”, “displaycapture picture”, “label”, “array”, “project”, “set”, “retrieve help”,“on label software” and “end”.

[0268] The items “add new label” includes such items as “text label”,“sound label”, “from capture picture”, “from clipboard” and “from importfile”. With the item “text label”, it is possible to prepare a voidlabel to place it on the desk top. If setting of the label software ismade so that the time of preparation will be displayed, the time ofpreparation is introduced. With the item “sound label”, it is possibleto prepare the label and to place it on the desktop. Sound recording isstarted as soon as the label is prepared. If setting of the labelsoftware is made so that the time of preparation will be displayed, thetime of preparation is introduced. With the item “from capture picture”,it is possible to acquire the capture picture from the retrievingapplication of the capture picture, to prepare the label using thepicture and to place it on the desktop. If setting of the label softwareis made so that the time of preparation will be displayed, the time ofpreparation is introduced. With the item “from clipboard”, it ispossible to prepare a new label from data on the clipboard to place iton the desk top. The form of the clipboard that can be handled here isthe memo from the text, picture and from the handwriting application. Ifsetting of the label software is made so that the time of preparationwill be displayed, the time of preparation is introduced. If the datafrom the clipboard is the text, the time of preparation is displayed onthe leading line and the text in the clipboard is displayed from thesecond and following lines. With the item “from import file”, it becomespossible to prepare a new label from the file data to place it on thedesktop. The form of the file form that can be handled here is the memofrom the text, picture, sound and from the handwriting application. Ifsetting of the label software is made so that the time of preparationwill be displayed, the time of preparation is introduced.

[0269] With the item “time view mode”, it is possible to switch thedisplay/non-display of the time view console.

[0270] With the item “time view sound “, it is possible to switch theon/off of the sound generated during the time view mode.

[0271] With the item “display capture picture”, it is possible to startthe retrieving application of the capture picture to display the finderfor picture retrieval.

[0272] The item “label” includes such items as “display all”, “hide all”and “delete all”. In the item “display all”, it is possible to displayall labels. In the item “hide all”, it is possible to hide all labelstemporarily. If the icon IL on the label software on the task tray TT,this attribute is reset to display all labels. If the label software isre-started, this attribute is reset. With the item “delete all”, alllabels currently displayed can be deleted.

[0273] The item “array” includes such items as “arraying at the left endof a picture”, “arraying at the upper end of a picture” “arraying at theright end of a picture” and “arraying at the lower end of a picture”.

[0274] The item “project” includes such items as “new preparation”,“open”, “close”, “import”, “export” and “property”. With the item “newpreparation”, it is possible to close the currently open project toprepare a new project. With the item “open”, it is possible to it ispossible to close the currently open project to open another project.With the item “close”, it is possible to close the currently openproject. With the item “close”, it is possible to close the currentlyopen project. With the item “import”,it is possible to add a label ofanother project of an archive form to the currently open project. Withthe item “export”, it is possible to export a project as a file(archive). With the item “property”, it is possible to display theproject property.

[0275] With the item “set”, the label, default layout, sound, image andthe environment can be set.

[0276] With the item “retrieve help”, help can be displayed.

[0277] With the item “label software”, the version information etc ofthe label software can be displayed.

[0278] With the item “end”, the label software can be brought to aclose.

[0279] With the label software of the present embodiment, operation on aproject”, “operation on a label”, “operation on a time view”, “operationon a keyboard/mouse” and “operation on a jog dial” are possible.

[0280] The operation on a project” is first explained.

[0281] A project manages the entire labels belonging to the project. Thelabel software of the present embodiment is so formulated that a projectwill necessarily be opened on actuation.

[0282] In the light source of the present embodiment, project isformulated on initial startup and when a new project preparation isselected from a menu. When preparing a new project, the project name isset and, if there is any pre-existing project, such project is closed toopen a new project.

[0283] A project is made up of a project file, a label file or a projectarchive file. The project file has the information on the entire projectand a label list, there being one project file for each project.

[0284] The label file has the information for individual labels, such asobject information, there being one label file for each label. Theproject archive file is the project information and the information onplural labels contained in the project, and is prepared when exportingthe project. The contents are a project achieve prepared at the outset,such that, when preparing a project, the contents can be contained inthe newly prepared project. The project file and the label filebelonging to the project file are present in one folder.

[0285] When preparing the project, a dialog shown for example in FIG. 44is displayed. The user enters a project name by this dialog. In thisfigure, the project name is the name of the lowermost folder of theproject, and is entered as the project file name. Meanwhile, thepre-existing project name cannot be used. As the project name, a projectcomment containing up to a maximum of 127 letters can be entered.

[0286] When preparing the project, the folder of the project name isformulated and a project file is prepared therebelow. The as-preparedproject has no labels. However, if designation is made to include thecontents, the label information is captured from the archive. Theoperation of capturing the contents is the same as the import of theproject as later explained. When preparing the project, the timeinformation at the time of the project preparation is recorded as theinternal data.

[0287] The project is opened on startup of the light source of thepresent embodiment or on designation from the console menu. Meanwhile,on startup of the label software, the project opened at the time ofprevious termination is opened. When the project is opened, the labelbelonging to the project is displayed on the desktop based on the timeinformation and the position information. Two or more projects cannot beopened simultaneously, so that, if there is any opened project, suchproject is closed.

[0288] When the project is closed, the currently opened project isclosed. At this time, the labels belonging to the opened project areclosed.

[0289] The project import means adding the entire labels contained inanother project in the archive form to the currently opened project. Inimporting the project, the file dialog is first opened on designation ofthe import menu. By this file dialog, the project archive file which theuser desired to add is designated. On selection of the project archivefile, a filter for checking the archive type is executed. The archivetype of the label encompasses three types, namely “no correction”, “setthe current time as start time” and “ask user as to start time”.Meanwhile, the archive type “no correction” is directly imported,without correcting the archive information.

[0290] When inquiring the user about the start time, a dialog specifyingthe input time and the minimum time units to be specified, as shown inFIG. 45, is displayed as the dialog for time setting for import. Theuser enters the start time by this dialog.

[0291] When the start time is inputted by the user by the dialog shownin FIG. 45, the dialog shown for example in FIG. 46 is opened afterexecuting the file. The dialog shown in FIG. 46 is an import dialog ofthe project displaying the project information. When the import isexecuted, the data of the entire labels of the selected project archivefile are copied in the currently opened project, along with the labelfile.

[0292] If there are such files for import having the same hysteresis asthat of the label present in the current project, or if the entirehysteresis of one of the labels are fully coincident with the partialhysteresis of the other label, there is displayed a dialog designatingthe importing method, as shown for example in FIG. 47. On the dialog ofFIG. 47, it is displayed whether both labels are identical or which oneof the labels has a longer hysteresis. In the example of FIG. 47, it ispossible to select a desired one of the respective items from the items“no labels are imported”, “label overwriting with the import file” and“prepare label copies”.

[0293] In the label software of the present embodiment, the labelscontained in a project can be collectively saved in a sole archive file,that can be captured into another project, as the project export. Inexporting the project, the dialog of the export of the dialog shown forexample in FIG. 48 is displayed on the desktop. On the dialog of FIG.48, respective settings “export file name”, “is the export file deletedfrom the current project?” and “are all labels exported or are labelsthe generating and deleting time points are both included in thespecified time range to be exported?” are made to prepare a projectarchive file. At the lower and of the picture of the dialog is displayedthe number of the labels to be exported. The label export here meansexporting the entire hysteresis of the label.

[0294] If then the user selects the project property, the label softwareof the present embodiment displays the dialog shown for example in FIG.49 on the desktop. In this dialog, such items as “project holder”,“project command”, “project preparing time and ultimate updating time”,“number of labels (total number, past, present and future)” and “rangeof existence of labels” are displayed. In the “project folder” isdisplayed the project folder name, whereas, in the “project command”,the explanation on the project asset on new preparation is displayed.The information in this “project command” can be edited. The “range ofexistence of labels” denotes the range of existence of labels,specifically, the range from the oldest hysteresis of the entire labels(time of preparation of the oldest label) up to the latest hysteresis.If there is any label the time of deletion of which is not specified, acheck mark is attached to the item ”there is a label the time ofdeletion of which is not specified”.

[0295] The “operation on the label” is explained.

[0296] As the “operation on the label”, such operations as “newpreparation”, “addition of objects”, “correction of object”, “layout”,“arraying”, “property”, “import and export of object” and “labeldeletion” are possible.

[0297] With the “new preparation”, among the operations on the labels,an object inserted first can be specified when newly preparing thelabels. Among the labels, newly prepared, there are “text level”, “soundlevel”, “from capture picture retrieving software”, “from clipboard” and“from import file”. In the newly prepared labels, the label preparingtime, as a text object, is displayed in addition to the above object.Meanwhile, whether or not the time of preparation is to be displayed canbe set by the setting picture. Each object is displayed in accordancewith the default layout as later explained. A label file for storing theinformation on a label is prepared simultaneously with the newpreparation of the label.

[0298] The “new preparation” includes new preparation for the futuremode. That is, in the time view mode, labels prepared in future (futurelabels) can also be added. In the new preparation for the future mode,when the new preparation of the label is selected by a user, a propertypicture for the new label, shown in FIG. 50, is displayed. When the usersets the label start time, label end time, repetition and alarm, thefuture label can be newly prepared. Meanwhile, the default value of thedisplay time of the property picture of FIG. 50 is the operation time atthe time point and continuation is checked (on).

[0299] In the operation for the label “object addition”, an object canbe added to the label currently displayed. For newly inserting anobject, the respective menu items “text”, “sound”, “picture”,“handwriting memo” and “link” are specified by the user from the menubutton on the label. In the menu item “text”, respective operations oftext editing, pasting, import file, and drag/drop operations arepossible, whereas, in the “sound” menu item, respective operations ofrecording, importing files and drag/drop operations are possible. In themenu item “picture”, respective operations of shot, pasting, importingfiles and drag/drop operations are possible, whereas, in the“handwriting memo” menu item, the operation of pasting is possible. Inthe menu item “link”, respective operations of link editing, pasting,importing files and drag/drop operations are possible. Meanwhile, two ormore objects cannot exist for a sole label.

[0300] In the operation on the label “object addition, “object additionby drag/drop”, “addition of object position and size” and “addition atthe time of time view”.

[0301] In the “object addition by drag/drop”, if the file icons of thetext, sound and the picture are dragged and dropped in sites other thanthe label link button, respective objects are inserted into the label.On the other hand, if an optional file icon is dragged and dropped onthe label or on the link button, as e.g., the control key and the shiftkey on the keyboard are pushed simultaneously, the path of the file isadded as the link object.

[0302] In the “addition of object position and size”, the size and theposition of the added object follow the parameters of the defaultlayout. If the test object and the picture object are set so as not tooverlap with each other and if one of the objects is added newly, it isinserted below the pre-existing object.

[0303] In the “addition at the time of time view”, if the time view modeis the present mode, the operation similar to that for the normal modecan be made. If the time view mode is the future mode, an object can beadded to the future label. As to the operation of object addition, onlyultimate results are recorded and become the initial setting for thelabel display. As for the label that cannot be added, the label frame isdisplayed in a purple color (present level) or in a blue color (pastlevel).

[0304] In the operation on the label “object correction”, “textcorrection”, “sound correction”, “picture correction”, “correction ofhandwriting memo”, “link correction”, “correction in time view mode” and“pasting from clipboard” are possible.

[0305] In the “text correction”, if the text editing item is selected bythe user from the menu button MB, or the context menu mb, and the menuis selected, the editing dial having the present text as shown forexample in FIG. 51 is opened. In the dialog of FIG. 51, there are menus“file”, “edit” and “insert” in the text editing menu. The “file” hassuch items as “import file” and “text editing end”, such that, in the“import file”, the text file can be selected and inserted, whereas, inthe “text editing end”, the text editing can be closed to reflect thetext contents in the label. In the menu item “edit”, there are suchitems as “reset”, “clip”, “copy”, “paste”, “delete” and “select all”. Inthe menu item “insert”, there are such items as “current time and date”and “time and date of preparation”. In the “current time and date”, thetime and date of the present (real time) is inserted, whereas, in the“time and date of preparation”, the label preparing time is introduced.

[0306] The “sound correction” is possible when the user selects therecording with the menu button MB or the context menu. There isdisplayed on the label a tool chip TCe indicating the recording time andthe maximum recording time, as shown in FIG. 52, whilst the play buttonPB is changed to the recording button RB to advise the user of the factthat recording is going on. If the recording button RB is pushed duringrecording, the recording is paused and, if the recording button RB ispushed again, the recording is performed as from the paused point. Inthe “sound correction”, the existing sound data is overwritten.

[0307] In the “picture correction”, it is not possible with the labelsoftware of the present embodiment to correct the pre-existing pictureobject. For changing (correcting) the picture, a picture object isintroduced to take the place of the pre-existing picture object.

[0308] For directly correcting the handwriting memo prepared by thehandwriting application, for performing the “correction of thehandwriting memo”, the handwriting application start is selected fromthe menu button MB or the context menu. After editing by the handwritingapplication, pasting of the edited memo in the menu button MB or thecontext menu is selected and newly introduced into the label.

[0309] The “link correction” is enabled by the user selecting the linkediting item from the menu button MB or the context menu. That is, whenthe user selects the item of link editing, the label software of thepresent embodiment displays an editing dialog, having the current link,as shown for example in FIG. 53, on the desktop. The editing dialog ofthe link has an editing box EB and a file reference button. In thedialog editing box EB are stated URL such as the paths of the file orfolder and the home page address. For example, if the “file referencebutton” is pushed, the file dialog is displayed. By selecting the fileto which the link is desired to be produced, the path to the file isinputted to the edit box EB. The menu item of the dialog box of the linkincludes “file” and the “edit”. The menu item of the “file” includessuch items as “reference” and “end of link editing”. The item“reference” is selected from the file dialog and is the same as the filereference button. The “end of link editing” closes the link correctionpicture to reflect the link contents in the label. The menu item “edit”includes such items as “reset”, “clip”, “copy”, “paste”, “delete” and“select all”. These contents are standard operations and are notexplained specifically.

[0310] As the “correction at the time of time view mode”, it is possibleto correct the object for the label newly displayed for the future inthe time view mode. As for the object correction operation, only theultimate results are displayed to effect initial setting at the time oflabel display.

[0311] In the “pasting from clipboard”, the text, bitmap picture, WAVEfile and the handwriting memo in the clipboard can be pasted on thelabel. If only one object that can be pasted on the label is present inthe clipboard, it can be pasted on the label. If two or more objectsthat can be pasted on the label are present in the clipboard, a dialogsuch as one shown in FIG. 54 is displayed on the desktop. Here, a checkbox of data present in the clipboard is enable for display and checkeddata is pasted as a label object.

[0312] The “layout” for the label is determined with the default layoutas a reference. It is noted that this setting of the default layout isutilized during label preparation and during addition of new objects.The default layout may also be used when the user manifestly selects there-layout command.

[0313] In the default layout, there are parameters such as “label size(X×Y)”, “text margin (left end, upper end, right end)”, “picture margin(left end, upper end, right end”, “layout to evade the text overlappingwith the picture” and “setting as to size change (re-layout and keeppicture aspect ratio)”. The “label size” is used so that the horizontaldirection will be of the maximum size and the vertical direction will beof the minimum size. The “text margin” and “picture margin” are definedas in FIG. 55 and set by the dialog shown in FIG. 56. The vertical sizeof each object in the vertical direction is determined andstretched/contracted by the object data. If, as a result of stretchingand contraction, the text object overlaps with the picture object, thelower object can be moved further downwards to evade overlap (settingitem: layout to evade overlapping of the text with the picture).

[0314] For the operation when the label size is changed, there are twosettings. One of these settings (re-laying out) is to lay out the objectagain if the label size is changed. In the absence of setting, the sizeof the internal object is not changed despite size changes in the label.The second setting (keeping the picture aspect ratio) is the setting asto whether or not the aspect ratio is to be kept in case there is changein the picture size. The above setting is made in a default label layoutpicture of the setting dialog of the present embodiment of the labelsoftware shown in FIG. 56. This setting may be made by displaying anddragging a sample, in place of inputting a numerical figure, as shown inFIG. 57.

[0315] With the present embodiment of the label software, layout canfreely be customized by a user from one label to another in place of thedefault layout. For example, if a custom layout item is provided as themenu item, and the custom layout is executed, the label L is displayedas shown for example in FIG. 58. There is drawn a dotted-line framecircumscribing each object and the mouse can be dragged and droppedwithin this frame for movement. Moreover, with the present embodiment ofthe label software, the object size can be changed. For changing thesize, the object is clicked to the selected state, in which state thelabel frame line is changed from a dotted line to a solid line. Inaddition, handles (e.g., a black small square) is displayed in the fourcorners and on the four sides. These handles can be dragged and droppedto change the object size.

[0316] Meanwhile, in the label software of the present embodiment, if,in changing the label size, automatic stretching and contraction is onand the aspect keeping is on, left and right margins are always keptconstant unless the picture is of the minimum size. On the other hand,the margins at the four corners of the text are kept at constant values.In this case, the four corner margins may transgress the label window inthe vertical direction of the picture in order to keep the pictureaspect ratio. If the automatic stretching/contraction is on and thekeeping of the aspect ratio is off, the four corner margins are alwayskept constant unless the text and the picture are of the minimum size.Also, if the automatic stretching/contraction is off and the aspectratio is on or off, the text and the picture may transgress the labelwindow. If, in all of these cases, the default layout is selected, thelabel size or the left-right margins and the upper margin are set atdefault values. The heights of the label, text and the picture areautomatically adjusted to values which are sufficient to display thepicture. The values which are sufficient to display the picture arethose with which all pictures can be displayed. The values which aresufficient to display the text are those with which all picture portionscan be viewed with the correct aspect ratio. A lower margin of the samesize as the upper margin is added to the label.

[0317] The “arraying” of the operation on the label includes “arrayingat the left end of a picture”, “arraying at the upper end of a picture”“arraying at the right end of a picture” and “arraying at the lower endof a picture” as sorts of arraying. In the “arraying at the left end ofa picture”, labels are arrayed side-by-side from the upper left end ofthe picture in a downward direction. When the lower end of the pictureis reached, the labels are arrayed in similar manner with a shift of onerow towards right. In the “arraying at the upper end of a picture”,labels are arrayed side-by-side from the upper right end of the picturein a rightward direction. When the rightward end of the picture isreached, the labels are arrayed in similar manner with a shift of onerow downwards. In the “arraying at the right end of a picture”, labelsare arrayed side-by-side from the upper right end of the picture in adownward direction. When the lower end of the picture is reached, thelabels are arrayed in similar manner with a shift of one row towardsleft. In the “arraying at the lower end of a picture”, labels arearrayed side-by-side from the lower left end of the picture in arightward direction. When the rightward end of the picture is reached,the labels are arrayed in similar manner with a shift of one rowupwards. The labels are arrayed in the sequence in which the labels areregistered in a project label list (in the time order of preparation).The labels are arrayed so as not to be overlapped with one another, withthe label size being not changed.

[0318] In the “property” of the operation on the labels, the propertydialog of the label, such as is shown in FIG. 50, is displayed. Theproperty display contents include “label number”, “number of times ofhysteresis”, “term of validity”, “setting of repetitive labels” and“alarm setting”. In the “label number”, a label number unique in theproject is displayed. This label number is managed by the label softwareof the present embodiment and cannot be changed by the user. The “numberof times of hysteresis” displays the number of times of correction asfrom the time of the label preparation. The “term of validity” includesthe “time of preparation” and “time of deletion”. The “time ofpreparation” displays the label preparation time. This “time ofpreparation” cannot be changed except at the time of preparation of afuture label. The “time of deletion” is valid only when the continuationis checked. The , “setting of repetitive labels” includes such items as“interval and unit of repetition”, “next display start time” and “nextdisplay end time”. The “alarm setting” includes “time of alarm startup”.

[0319] In the label software of the present embodiment, the followingsetting contents of the “continue/discontinue”, “repetition setting” and“alarm setting” for the labels can be changed in the label propertypicture. If, in the item “continue/discontinue”, the setting is for“discontinue”, the label deletion time can be specified. When the timeis the specified time, the label is deleted automatically. If, in theitem “repetition setting”, the “periodic repetitive label” is checked,repetition setting is made. Moreover, in the item “repetition setting”,the interval of repetition, display start time and display end time canbe set. In the item “alarm setting”, the alarm display time is set atthe relative timing relative to the label start time. Meanwhile, thereal alarm time is displayed below the alarm setting.

[0320] In the label software of the present embodiment,display/non-display can be repeated at regular intervals for the samelabel. For label repetition, “periodic repetition label (periodicrepetition)” is checked in the label property picture of FIG. 50 and therepetition interval, repetition display time and non-display time areset. For example, if a label is to be displayed for five minutes at12.00 every day, the following setting is used:

[0321] repetition: every day

[0322] next display start time: YYYY/MM/DD (current date) 12:00:00

[0323] next display end time: YYYY/MM/DD (current date) 12:05:00

[0324] If, in the label software of the present embodiment, setting ismade so that each frame picture of a moving picture is pasted on each ofplural labels and so that each label will be sequentially displayed atthe same position for a short time, animation-like display becomespossible.

[0325] Moreover, in the label software of the present embodiment, theuser may be apprised of an alarm event before or after start of aspecified label. For making the alarm notice, an alarm is checked on aproperty screen of the label of FIG. 50 to set the alarm time. If thealarm time is set in this manner, an alarm dialog, shown in FIG. 59, isdisplayed on the desk top when the time is the time specified on thealarm. On this alarm dialog are displayed the alarm time and the labelpreparation time. By acting on this alarm dialog, the user is able tomake selection whether the alarm is to be turned off or issued oncemore. If, the item “time-view the label preparation time after closingthe dialog” in the dialog of FIG. 59 is checked and the OK button ispushed, the time view mode is initiated and the operating time is set tothe label preparation time.

[0326] Then, as the operation for the label “object import/export”, thelabel is able to import and display the text, sound and the picturefile. The operation on importing is similar to that when adding andcorrecting an object. The label object is also able to take out onlydata as an export file. Among the forms of the file which each object isable to import and export, there are “text: text form (extender:.txt.)”, sound; WAVE form (extender:.wav)“”, “picture; bit map form(extender:.bmp)”, “GIF form (extender:.gif)” and “JPEG form (extender:jpg)”. In exporting, an object for exporting is determined based on theextender of the export file.

[0327] Among the “label deletion” as an operation on the label, thereare deletion of the present label and deletion of deletion of a futurelabel.

[0328] If deletion of the present label is selected, the current time isrecorded as the end time and deleted from the picture. However, thelabel file is not deleted such that the label can be displayed byreversion to the past by the time view mode. If the label is deleted inthe future mode of the time view mode, a dialog as shown in FIG. 60 isdisplayed to permit selection between setting the operating time to theend time or deleting the label at the current time.

[0329] If deletion of the future label is selected, the dialog ofdeletion of a future label as shown in FIG. 6 1 is opened to renderpossible the selection between the setting of the operation time to theend time and the complete deletion of the file. If the label iscompletely deleted, the label file and recording are deleted such thatthese cannot be displayed again even in the time view mode.

[0330] The past label is already deleted and hence cannot be deletedfurther.

[0331] The “operation of time view” is now explained.

[0332] In the time view mode, the above-mentioned time view console TVCis displayed. The time operation in the time view mode is done from thistime view console TVC. The transition to the time view mode is performedby displaying the time view console TVC by executing a command from acontext menu of the label software icon IL of the time tray TT or fromthe label menu.

[0333] After transition to the time view mode, time increase/decreasecan be executed by operating the up/down button tub, tdb of the timeview console TVC or from the menu. The unit of time change by this timeincrease/decrease is by the setting of the above-mentioned timeincreasing/decreasing unit (time increasing/decreasing step).

[0334] With the label software of the present embodiment, the labelpreparation to the past/past label correction cannot be made. Althoughthe past label cannot be corrected, label movement/label size change canbe made. However, this operation is not recorded in the project. Also,directly after the end of the operation, such as directly after the endof the mouse drag, the label is restored to the originalposition/original size. This operation is performed for transientlychanging the movement/size change for viewing the label hidden bysuperposition.

[0335] Moreover, in the label software of the present embodiment, a newlabel can be prepared as a future label distinct from a past label. If afuture label is prepared, and the time is restored to the present, thelabel disappears from the desktop. However, when the time is the timewhen the future label was prepared, the label is again presented on thedesktop. So, the future label can be prepared as a simple reminder. Thefuture label can be corrected in the same way as at the present time.However, the hysteresis of correction is not recorded, in distinctionfrom the case of the current time, such that only the corrected ultimateresults are saved. Thus, should there be made correction for future, theultimate results are used as parameters at the time of labelpreparation.

[0336] The end of the time view mode is achieved by pressing the closurebutton cb of the time console TVC or selecting the “close time viewconsole” from the menu.

[0337] The on/off of the time view sound, furnished during the time viewmode, during transition to the time view mode and on termination of thetime view mode, may be achieved from the menu.

[0338] The operation on the “keyboard/mouse” is explained.

[0339] With the label software of the present embodiment, a variety ofshortcuts are set as an operation proper to a keyboard.

[0340] For example, if the control key and the shift key are pushedsimultaneously, or if the shift key, control key and the tab key arepushed simultaneously, the operation of changing the verticalorientation on the window of the labels displayed on the present pictureis realized. Meanwhile, the operation at this time is changed with thenumber of the presently existing labels. For example, of there is notmore than one label, no operation occurs. However, a pre-set sound isissued to indicate that the operation is invalid. If there are two ormore labels, the control key and the tab key are pushed simultaneouslyto shift the label lying at the most forward position to the mostbackward position. Also, if the shift key, control key and the tab keyare pushed simultaneously, the label at the most backward position isshifted to the most forward position.

[0341] For example, if the delete key is pushed, the presently focussedlabel is deleted. Before deleting the label, a dialog for inquiringwhether or not the deletion is to be made is displayed on the dialog.

[0342] Of an escape key is pushed, the presently focussed label istemporarily set to the non-displayed position. The label in thenon-display position is again displayed when next the time is changed.

[0343] When the control key and the B key are pushed simultaneously, theconsole is closed during the time view mode. Of the control key and theD key are pushed simultaneously, the presently focussed label is againlaid out by default. When the control key and the E key are pushedsimultaneously, the text editing of the presently focussed label isopened. If the control key and the L key are pushed simultaneously, thelink of the presently focussed label is opened. If the control key andthe N key are pushed simultaneously, the text label is prepared. Whenthe control key and the 0 key are pushed simultaneously, the sound ofthe currently focussed label is stopped. When the control key and the Pkey are pushed simultaneously, the label of the currently focussed labelis reproduced. When the control key and the R key are pushedsimultaneously, the label of the currently focussed label commences tobe recorded. When the control key and the T key are pushedsimultaneously, the time view mode is entered/exited. When the controlkey and the V key are pushed simultaneously, the contents of theclipboard are pasted on the currently focussed label. When the controlkey and the down key/the control key and the up key are pressedsimultaneously, the time in increased/decreased by the time view. Whenthe control key and the left key/the control key and the down key arepressed simultaneously, the time increasing/decreasing steps are varied.When the control key and the home key are pushed simultaneously,reversion is made to the current time by the time view mode.

[0344] With the label software of the present embodiment, as theoperation on the mouse, in particular the mouse fitted with the wheel,“operations on the label”, “operations on the time view console” and“operations on the desktop of the time view mode” are set.

[0345] Among the “operations on the label”, there are such operations as“drag and drop for a label”, “drop to a label from another application”,“right click for a label”, “wheel rotation for a label”, “wheel clickfor a label”, “drag and drop to a label (excluding the link button) fora file icon”, “drag and drop to a label (excluding the link button) fora control key, shift key and a file icon” and “drag and drop on a linkbutton for a file icon”. In the operation of “drag and drop for alabel”, labels are moved. In the operation of “drop to a label fromanother application”, an object is pasted to a label insofar as datarecognized by the present embodiment of the label software is concerned.An error dialog is displayed insofar as data not recognized by thepresent embodiment of the label software is concerned. In the operationof “right click for a label”, the context menu dependent on the clickedobject is displayed. In the operation of “wheel rotation for a label”,the forward/backward relationship of the labels is adjusted. In theoperation of “wheel click for a label”, the time view console isdisplayed to transfer to the time view mode. In the operation of “dragand drop to a label (excluding the link button) for a file icon”, texts,pictures and sound files are inserted as objects. If a file cannot berecognized as an object, an inquiry is made as to whether or not it canbe inserted as a link object for the file. In the operation of, “dragand drop to a label (excluding the link button) for a control key, shiftkey and a file icon” and “drag and drop on a link button for a fileicon”, a path to the dragged and dropped file is inserted as a linkobject. If it is tried to insert a file path as a link object by dragand drop to a site other than the link button LB on the label, an alarmdialog shown in FIG. 62 is displayed. If a button “YES” is pushed whenthe dialog is displayed, the processing is the same as when a file pathis inserted as a link object by drag and drop on the link button LB onthe label.

[0346] Among the “operations on the time view console”, there are suchoperations as “right click on the console”, “wheel rotation for theoperating time display portion of the console” and “wheel rotation for astep selecting list box of the console time increase/decrease”. In theoperation of “right click on the console”, the context menu isdisplayed. The operation of “wheel rotation for the operating timedisplay portion of the console” corresponds to time increase/decrease.The operation of “wheel rotation for a step selecting list box of theconsole time increase/decrease” corresponds to change in the timeincreasing/decreasing steps.

[0347] In the operations of “operations on the desktop of the time viewmode”, there are such operations as “wheel click for the desktop of thetime view mode” and “right click on the desktop of the time view mode”.The operation of “wheel click for the desktop of the time view mode”corresponds to change in the time increasing/decreasing steps. In theoperation of “right click on the desktop of the time view mode”, thetime view context menu is displayed.

[0348] The “operation on the jog dial” is now explained.

[0349] In the label software of the present embodiment, the operation onthe jog dial includes such operations as “right/left rotation of the jogdial”, “pushing of the jog dial (with the interval from pushing untilrelease of pushing being not longer than one sec)” and “protractedpushing of the jig dial (with the interval from pushing until release ofpushing being longer than one sec)”. In the label software of thepresent embodiment, the following functions are allocated to theoperations on the jog dial. It is noted that, in the label software ofthe present embodiment, these jog dial operations are not globallypicked at any time, but reaction to the jog dial actuation occurs whenthe label software is focussed.

[0350] For example, in a normal mode, the label software of the presentembodiment reacts to the operations of “right/left rotation of the jogdial” and “pushing of the jog dial (with the interval from pushing untilrelease of pushing being not longer than one sec)”. That is, if, in thenormal mode, the operation of “right/left rotation of the jog dial” ismade, the label software of the present embodiment causes theup-and-down relationship of the window of a label currently displayed onthe picture. The operations at this time are changed depending on thenumber of the currently existing labels. If there is not more than onelabel, nothing occurs with the right/left rotation of the jog dial.However, a pre-set sound is issued to indicate that the operation isinvalid. If there are two or more labels, and the operation forrightward rotation of the jog dial is made, the label at the mostforward position is shifted to the most backward position among thelabels. Conversely, when the operation for leftward rotation of the jogdial is made, the label at the most backward position is shifted to themost forward position among the labels. If, during the normal mode, theoperation of “pushing of the jog dial (with the interval from pushinguntil release of pushing being not longer than 1 sec)” is made, thelabel software of the present embodiment displays the time view consoleto transfer to the time view mode.

[0351] Also, in the time view mode, the label software of the presentembodiment reacts to all of the operations of “right/left rotation ofthe jog dial”, “pushing of the jog dial (with the interval from pushinguntil release of pushing being not longer than 1 sec)” and “protractedpushing of the jig dial (with the interval from pushing until release ofpushing being longer than 1 sec)”. That is, if, in the time view mode,the operation of “right/left rotation of the jog dial” is made, thelabel software of the present embodiment corresponds to the timeincrease/decrease. For example, if the jog dial makes rightward rotationand leftward rotation, time proceeds in the future and past distentions,respectively. If the operation of, “pushing of the jog dial (with theinterval from pushing until release of pushing being not longer than 1sec)” is performed, the label software of the present embodimentcorresponds to the change in the time increasing/decreasing units (timeincreasing/decreasing steps). For example, the timeincreasing/decreasing units are changed in the sequence of 100 years, 10years, 1 year, 1 month, 1 day, 1 hour, 1 minute, 1 sec, 10 years, 10years, . . . each time the jog dial is pushed. If the jog dial isrotated as the shift key is pushed, the time increasing/decreasingintervals are changed in the reverse sequence to that when only the jogdial is rotated. The time increasing/decreasing intervals selected atthe time of the pushing of the jog dial can be set when setting theenvironment. When the operation of “pushing of the jig dial (with theinterval from pushing until release of pushing being longer than 1 sec)”is done, the label software of the present embodiment closes the timeview console to transfer to the present mode.

[0352] In the label software of the present embodiment, the operationthat occurs on jog dial actuation is displayed on the desktop as the jogdial guide to present to the user the contents of the operationscorresponding to the jog dial actuating state and to the jog dialactuation. That is, in the label software of the present embodiment, thejog dial guides of different contents are presented in the normal modeand in the time view mode since the functions are allocated in thesemodes to the jog dial actuation.

[0353]FIG. 63 shows an example of the jog dial guide during the normalmode and that during the time view mode. That is, in the jog dial guideduring the normal mode, shown in FIG. 63, the contents of the functionscorresponding to the “right/left rotation of the jog dial”, “pushing ofthe jog dial (with the interval from pushing until release of pushingbeing not longer than 1 sec)” are displayed as guides. In the jog dialguide during the normal mode, shown in FIG. 63, the contents of thefunctions corresponding to the “right/left rotation of the jog dial”,“pushing of the jog dial (with the interval from pushing until releaseof pushing being not longer than 1 sec)” and “protracted pushing of thejig dial (with the interval from pushing until release of pushing beinglonger than 1 sec)” are displayed as guides.

[0354] The setting contents in the label software of the presentembodiment are hereinafter explained. In the label software of thepresent embodiment, “label setting”, “setting of default label layout”,“setting of sound recording”, “picture setting” and “environmentsetting” are possible. These setting contents are saved in a registryand used as common setting among the entire projects.

[0355] As the “label setting”, the label software of the presentembodiment is able to set the label default values. In the label settingpicture, there are “default background color”, “default font inclusiveof text color”, “default word-wrapping state”, “display preparationtime” and “apply text color only to text”, as shown in FIG. 65. In the“default background color”, the background color of the newly preparedlabel is set. In the “default font inclusive of text color”, the font ofthe newly prepared label is set. In the “default word-wrapping state”,it is set whether or not the word-wrapping is to be applied to the newlyprepared label. In the “display preparation time”, it is set whether ornot the preparation time is to be displayed on the newly prepared label.In the “apply text color only to text”, it is set whether the backgroundcolor is to be applied to the entire label or only to the text. In thelower part of the label software setting picture, a sample of the labelstate in the current setting is displayed.

[0356] In the “default label layout”, default layout in theabove-mentioned layout portion is made.

[0357] In the “setting of sound recording”, various parameters for soundrecording are set. The setting contents include such items as “soundsource”, “quantization level”, “sampling frequency” and “maximumrecording time”. With the “sound source”,monaural/stereo setting ispossible, whereas, with the “quantization level” and “samplingfrequency”, the setting of 8 bits/16 bits and the setting of 11.025 kHz,22.05 kHz and 44.1 kHz are possible, respectively.

[0358] In the “picture setting”, the picture during use of the capturepicture retrieving application is set. The setting contents include“operation on pushing the capture retrieving button”, “format of apicture retrieved from a capture picture retrieving application” and“setting of JPEG compression”, as shown in FIG. 67. The operation of“operation on pushing the capture retrieving button” includes such itemsas “retrieve picture in a presently selected label” and “retrievepicture in a new label”. In “retrieve picture in a presently selectedlabel”, an inquiry is made whether or not a new label is prepared if nolabel is selected. In the “retrieve picture in a new label”, a new labelis prepared to retrieve the picture in a new label. In the “format of apicture retrieved from a capture picture retrieving application”, thereare such items as “bitmap” and “JPEG”. In the “bitmap”, H compression isnot applied so that the picture is saved in its original state. In the“JPEG”, compression is applied, however, the disc capacity can bereduced. In the “JPEG setting”, the compression ratio of the retrievedpicture is set when the “JPEG” is set in the “format of a pictureretrieved from a capture picture retrieving application”. Thecompression ratio ranges between 1/1 to 1/64.

[0359] In the “environment setting”, “default command”, “startup” and“time increasing/decreasing interval” are set. In the “default command”,“add new label”, “add new label and record the sound”, “add new labeland acquire picture from the capture picture retrieving application” and“enter into time view mode” etc. In the “starup”, it is set whether ornot the registration in the startup is to be made. In the “timeincreasing/decreasing interval”, the time increasing/decreasingintervals (time increasing/decreasing steps) selected on pushing thetime increasing/decreasing step selection menu button sb is set. Thetime increasing/decreasing interval not set here is not unusable and canbe selected by selection from a combo-box or on clicking a date letterstring. The time increasing/decreasing interval checked here are markedwith “*” on the right side of a letter in the time increasing/decreasingstep selection list box ss1 as discussed above.

[0360] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-mentioned functions, the entire operations on the labels on thedesktop are saved to enable reproduction of label states at an optionaltime point. For saving the label states on the desktop, a method ofsaving the entire information of plural labels at a given time point anda method of saving only the difference of the label information at atime point may be used. The label states may be saved periodically atregular intervals or at time points when changes are made in the labels.For saving the differences in the label information, the operations onthe label, that is the operating hysteresis, are saved, or thedifference of the label information before and after operations on thelabel, that is the variance in the label information, may be saved.

[0361] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-mentioned functions, not only the operations on the present label,but also the future operations, may be appointed to enable labels(future labels) to be used as reminders. The operations on the futurelabels are determined when the current time is the time set in thefuture level. Therefore, the hysteresis as to the operations on thefuture labels is not saved but only the information on the lastoperation is saved. Although the future label may also have thehysteresis, plural futures exist in this case. This surpasses the rangeof human understanding. For this reason, the present embodiment dos notset the hysteresis for the future labels. For appointing the operationsfor future labels, repetitive operations of the labeldisplay/non-display may be envisaged in addition to the operation suchas simple label preparation.

[0362] Moreover, in the label software of the present embodiment, havingthe above-mentioned functions, in which the label has the concept oftime, it is possible to associate a label with an alarm to ring an alarmwhen the time is the pre-set time. This alarm rings irrespective of thecurrent desktop display time, such that, even when the state of past orfuture label states are displayed, the alarm is rung to avoid the riskof overlooking crucial label information. Meanwhile, an alarm to a labelcan be attached to each label. In distinction from a usual alarm, thepresent alarm can be rung not only before the preparation time but alsoafter label preparation. Moreover, an alarm can be rung even to theselected alarm. For this reason, the alarm can be rung after 1 year sothat an alarm can be rung after lapse of a year from an anniversary.

[0363] Referring to FIGS. 69 to 72, the processing flow in the CPU 51 incase of implementing the above process by a personal computer isexplained.

[0364]FIG. 69 shows the overall flow of the reproducing processing ofthe label states at an optional past time point, the reproducingprocessing of the appointment for operations for future labels and alarmprocessing. If the label software is started at step S131, the CPU 51records the processing at step S132 in case some operation or other isperformed on the label. If the alarm setting is made, the alarmprocessing is performed at step S133, whereas, if setting for repetitionis made for a label, the label updating processing is performing at stepS134. The CPU 51 then verifies whether or not each processing has cometo a close. If the result of check is YES, the CPU reverts to step S132and, if otherwise, the CPU moves to step S136. The CPU 51, proceeding tostep S136, performs the end processing of the label software.

[0365]FIG. 70 shows a detailed flow of the operational recordingprocessing of step S132. If, in FIG. 70, the operating recordingprocessing is started, the CPU 51 at step S141 verifies whether or notsome operation or other has been done on a label by the user. If theresult of check is NO, the recording processing is closed to proceed tostep S133 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51 proceeds to the processing ofstep S142 to compute the label difference information before and afterthe processing operation. The CPU 51 then verifies at step S143 whetherthe operation on the label is that on the current label (operatinghysteresis) or the operation on the future label (operationappointment). If the processing is verified at this step S143 to be theoperation on the current label, the CPU 51 at step S144 adds the currenttime to the label difference information to save the resulting data. ifthe operation is found at step S43 to be that on the future label, theCPU 51 at step. S145 adds the appointed time to the label differenceinformation to save the resulting data. After the processing of thesesteps S144 and S145, the CPU 51 terminates the operation recordingprocessing to proceed ti the processing of step S133 of FIG. 69.

[0366]FIG. 71 shows a detailed flow of alarm processing of step S133 ofFIG. 69. In FIG. 71, when the alarm processing is started, the CPU 51 atstep S151 verifies whether or not an alarm has been set in the label. Ifthe result of check at this step S151 is NO, the alarm processing isterminated to proceed to the processing of step S134 of FIG. 69. If theresult of check is YES, the CPU 51 checks whether or not the currenttime is past (or is) the alarm setting time. If the CPU verifies thatthe current time is past the alarm setting time, it proceeds to stepS153 and, if otherwise, it proceeds to step S156,. At step S153, the CPU51 rings an alarm and, at step S154, it verifies whether or not theobject label corresponding to the alarm is to be displayed. If theresult of check at step S154 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to theprocessing of step S156 and, if otherwise, it proceeds to the processingat step S255. At step S155, the CPU 51 sets the display time to the timewhen the object label is saved and proceeds to step S156. At step S156,the CPU 51 checks whether or not the label alarm processing has come toa close. If the result of check is NO, the CPU reverts to step S151 and,if otherwise, the CPU terminates the alarm processing to proceed to theprocessing of step S134 of FIG. 69.

[0367]FIG. 72 shows the flow of detailed processing of step S134 of FIG.69. In this figure, when the label updating processing is started, theCPU 51 at step S161 verifies whether or not there is any label set forrepetition. If the result of check is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to stepS163 and, if otherwise, to step S162. At step S162, the CPU 51 executeslabel repetition processing. The CPU 51 then proceeds to step S163. Atstep S63, the CPU 51 verifies whether or not the current state is beingdisplayed. If the result of check at step S63 is NO, that is the currentstate is the past or future mode, the CPU proceeds to step S165 and, ifotherwise, to step S164. At step S164, the CPU 51 sets the display timeto the current time and then proceeds to step S166. At step S165 Aftersetting the display time to the current state, the CPU 51 proceeds tostep S166. At step S165, the CPU 51 sets the display time to the userspecified time, before it proceeds to step S166. At step S166, the CPU51 displays the state of the label of the display time as set (present,past or future mode). The CPU 51 then terminates the label updatingprocessing to proceed to the processing of step S135.

[0368] The label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-mentioned functions, realizes not only definite information, suchas text or picture, to the label, but also the link function ofindirectly pasting the entire information. Thus, in the label softwareof the present embodiment, which realizes the link function, there is nonecessity of displaying the entire information in a label of a definitesize, thus enabling effective utilization of the label area. That is, inthe case of a label having no link function, contrary to the presentembodiment, the entire information needs to be retrieved at a time pointthe object is pasted to the label. Meanwhile, in the label software ofthe present embodiment, the entire link information can be displayed ina label. By this link function, the personal computer in the startedstate of the label software of the present embodiment is able to displaynot only the information in a local machine but also the information onthe network on the label. Since the information on the network can belinked and set on a label, the personal computer of the presentembodiment is able to display the link contents only when the userrequests execution, such that there is no necessity of the personalcomputer being perpetually linked to the network.

[0369] The processing flow in the CPU 51 in case of realizing the linkfunction on the label by the label software of the present embodiment isshown in FIGS. 73 to 75.

[0370]FIG. 73 shows the overall processing flow in case of indirectlypasting the entire information on the label by the link. When the labelsoftware is started at step S171, the CPU 51 at step S172 verifieswhether or not the link has been corrected. If the result of check atstep S172 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S174 and, if otherwise, tostep S173. At step S173, the CPU 51 executes link editing processing.The CPU 51 then verifies whether or not the link is to be executed. Ifthe result of check at step S174 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S176and, if otherwise, to step S175. At step S175, the CPU 51 performs thelink execution processing. The CPU 51 then checks at step S176 whetheror not the processing has come to a close. If the result of check atstep S176 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S172 and, if otherwise, tostep S177, where the CPU 51 executes label software terminatingprocessing.

[0371]FIG. 74 shows the detailed processing flow of step S173. In FIG.74, when the link editing processing is started, the CPU 51 checks atstep S181 whether or not the link editing is done by drag and drop bye.g., a mouse. If the result of check at step S181 is YES, the CPU 51proceeds to step S183 and, if otherwise, to step S182. At step S183, theCPU S1 saves the dragged and dropped file path and URL as link and thenterminates the link editing processing to proceed to the processing atstep S174 of FIG. 73. At step S182, the CPU 51 displays the link editingdialog shown in FIG. 53 before proceeding to step S184. At step s184,the CPU 51 verifies whether or not, in the above-mentioned link editingdialog, the file path of the link destination or URL has been entered orthe link reference command has been issued. If it is verified that thefile path of the link destination or the URL has been entered, the CPU51 proceeds to step S187. If it is verified that the link referencecommand has been issued, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S185. At step S187,the CPU 51 saves the input file path or the URL as the link destinationto then terminate the link editing processing to proceed to step S174 ofFIG. 73. At step S185, the CPU 51 displays the link reference dialogbefore proceeding to step S186, where the CPU 51 saves the referencedfile path or URL as the link destination. The CPU 51 then terminates thelink editing processing to proceed to step S174 of FIG. 73.

[0372]FIG. 75 shows the detailed processing flow of the processing atstep S175 of FIG. 73. In FIG. 75, when the link editing processing isstarted, the CPU 51 at step S191 checks whether or not the saved linkinformation is URL. If the result of check at step S191 is YES, the CPU51 proceeds to step S193 and, if otherwise, to step S192. At step S193,the CPU 51 opens the saved link information as URL and subsequentlyterminates the link executing processing to proceed to the processing atstep S176 of FIG. 73. At step S192, the CPU 51 checks whether or not thesaved link information is a path to an execution file. If the result ofcheck at step S192 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S195 and, ifotherwise, to step S194. At step S195, the CPU 51 executes the savedlink as an executing file to then terminate the link editing processingto proceed to step S176 of FIG. 73. At step S194, the CPU 51 opens thesaved link as a document file to then terminate the link editingprocessing to proceed to step S176 of FIG. 73.

[0373] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-mentioned function, the time label for the purposes ofpresent/past/future can be easily displayed on the desktop.

[0374] For moving the label time on the desktop, it may be envisaged toadvance/retract the time by a pre-set interval by the user executing asole command. This enables, the information one day before or after tobe retrieved easily.

[0375] For moving the label time on the desk top, it may be envisaged toadvance/retract the time up to a time point of change of the informationby a user executing a command. The time interval at this time is notconstant and determined by the change point of the label information sothat the movement time is variable. This enables the label informationswitching time point to be retrieved easily.

[0376] For moving the label time on the desktop, it may be envisaged tovary the time advancing/retracting manner in an accelerated manner bythe user executing the consecutive commands. This enables movement tothe target time easily and speedily.

[0377] The processing flow by\y the CPU 51 in implementing the labeltime movement function on the desktop by a personal computer by thelabel software of the present embodiment is shown in FIGS. 76 to 78.

[0378]FIG. 76 shows the overall processing flow enabling movement to anoptional present/past/future time. When the label software is started atstep S201, the CPU 51 at step S202 verifies whether or not the timemovement unit, that it the above-mentioned time increasing/decreasingintervals (time increasing/decreasing steps) are to be changed. If theresult of check at step S201 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S204and, if otherwise, to step S203. At step S203, the CPU 51 changes thetime movement unit, that it the above-mentioned timeincreasing/decreasing intervals (time increasing/decreasing steps). TheCPU 51 at step S204 verifies whether or not the label time movement onthe desktop has been commanded. If the result of check at step S204 isYES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S206 and, if otherwise, to step S205.At step S205, the CPU 51 performs the time movement processing, that ismovement to a desktop picture in the past or future mode. After the timemovement processing at step S205, the CPU 51 at step S206 updates thedisplay at the set time to proceed to step S207. The CPU 51 at step S207verifies whether or not the processing has come to a close. If theresult of check at step S207 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S202 and,if otherwise, to step S208. At this step S208, the CPU 51 executes theend processing for the label software.

[0379]FIG. 77 shows the detailed processing flow of the processing atstep S203 of FIG. 76. In FIG. 77, when the processing for changing thetime movement unit (change of the time increasing/decreasing interval)is started, the CPU 51 at step S211 verifies whether or not theinformation change point unit has been set as the movement unit. If theresult of check at step S211 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S213and, if otherwise, to step S212. At step S213, the CPU 51 sets theinformation change point as the time movement intervals (timeincreasing/decreasing intervals or time increasing/decreasing steps) toterminate the time movement unit change processing to proceed to stepS204 of FIG. 76. At step S212, the CPU 51 sets the specified unit (100years, 10 years, 1 year, 1 month. 1 day, . . . to terminate the timemovement unit change processing to proceed to the processing at stepS204 of FIG. 76.

[0380]FIG. 78 shows the detailed processing flow of the processing atstep S205 of FIG. 76. In FIG. 78, when the time movement processing isstarted, the CPU 51 at step S221 verifies whether or not the timemovement is directly commanded by the above-mentioned operation timedisplay unit oti. If the result of check at step S221 is YES, the CPU 51proceeds to step S223 and, if otherwise, to step S222. At step S223, theCPU 51 sets the above-mentioned directly commanded time as the timemovement interval (time increasing/decreasing interval or timeincreasing/decreasing step) before terminating the time movementprocessing to proceed to step S206 of FIG. 76. At step S222, the CPU 51checks whether or not the information change point interval has been setas the time movement interval (time increasing/decreasing interval ortime increasing/decreasing step). If the result of check at step S222 isNO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S225 and, if otherwise, to step S224. Atstep S225, the CPU 51 advances (or retracts) the time with the so-settime interval to then terminate the time movement processing to proceedto the processing of step S206. At step S224, the CPU 51 retrieves thenext or previous change point. The CPU 51 at step S226 verifies whetheror not the next or previous change point has been found. If the resultof check at step S226 is NO, the CPU 51 terminates the time movementprocessing to proceed to step S206 of FIG. 76 and, if otherwise, to stepS227. At this step S227, the CPU 51 terminates the time movementprocessing to proceed to step S206 of FIG. 76. If the result of check atstep S226 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S227, where the CPU 51sets the time as found by retrieval as the movement time to thenterminate the time movement processing to proceed to the processing ofstep S206 of FIG. 76.

[0381] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-described functions, a jog dial can be used as a user interfacefor label time movement on the desktop. With the use of the jog dial,the operation of advancing/retracting the time is realized by theoperation of rotating the jog dial in the rightward/leftward directionto provide for smooth time movement processing operations.

[0382] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-described functions, the jog dial pushing operation can beallocated to the alteration of the advancing/retracting time interval.Therefore, the entire operations of changing the label time can berealized solely by jog dial operation, as a result of which the timechange can be realized without using routine keyboard or mouse.

[0383] With the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-described functions, the jog dial pushing operation can beallocated not only to making change in the regular timeincreasing/decreasing interval in label display but also to making theabove-mentioned change point movement of the label information. Theresult is that the time movement with the attention directed only to theinformation change point can be realized solely by actuation on the jogdial.

[0384] Moreover, with the label software of the present embodiment,having the above-described functions, the amount of label time movementcan be varied depending on the rotating speed of the jog dial to rendermore prompt retrieval of discrete time points.

[0385] In addition, with the label software of the present embodiment,having the above-described functions, the jog dial pushing is used as atrigger for the time movement mode and the subsequent jog dialrotation/pushing operation is allocated to the above-mentioned timemovement operation. By dividing the function between the short jog dialpushing and the long jog dial pushing, the entire operation of enteringinto the time movement mode/exiting the time movement mode can berealized solely by the jog dial. In this manner, the informationscattered in the present/past/future can be browsed solely by the jogdial. It is noted that data correction is in need of input devices, suchas a keyboard or a mouse.

[0386] Furthermore, with label software of the present embodiment, thetime movement processing is facilitated by employing a shift key or acontrol key in combination with the jog dial rotating/pushing operationto execute counter-functions. If, for example, the unit of the timeincreasing/decreasing interval are changed from smaller to largervalues, by pushing the jog dial, and the shift key or the control key isused in combination, the unit of the time increasing/decreasing intervalis changed in an opposite direction to the case of using only the jogdial to facilitate selection of the unit of the timeincreasing/decreasing interval.

[0387] The processing flow in the CPU 51 in case the time movement topresent/past/future is to be realized by the jog dial operation is shownin FIGS. 79 to 82.

[0388]FIG. 79 shows the overall flow in case the time movement topresent/past/future is to be realized by the jog dial operation. If, atstep S231, the label software is started, the CPU 51 at step S232verifies whether or not the jog dial has been thrust. If the result ofcheck at step S232 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S234 and, ifotherwise, to step S233. At step S233, the CPU 51 browses theinformation by rotation of the jog dial. At step S234, the CPU 51verifies whether or not the processing has come to a close. If theresult of check at step S234 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S232 and,if otherwise, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S235, where the label softwareproceeds to terminate the label software.

[0389]FIG. 80 shows the detailed processing flow performed at step S233of FIG. 79. If, in FIG. 80, the browsing processing by the jog dial isstarted, the CPU 51 at step S242 verifies whether or not the jog dialhas been pushed for long time, with the interval since pushing untilrelease of the jog dial being not shorter than 1 sec. If the result ofcheck at step S242 is YES, the CPU 51 terminates the browsing processingto proceed to step S234 of FIG. 79 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51proceeds to step S243. At this step S243, the CPU 51 verifies whether ornot the jog dial has been pushed, with the interval since pushing untilrelease of the jog dial being not longer than 1 sec. If the result ofcheck at step S243 is NO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S245 and, ifotherwise, to step S244, where the CPU 51 changes the timeincreasing/decreasing unit corresponding to the pushing of the jog dial.When the CPU 51 proceeds to step S245, the CPU 51 verifies whether ornot rotation of the jog dial has been made. If the result of check atstep S245 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S242 and, if the result ofcheck at step S245 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S246 where theCPU 51 executes time movement processing corresponding to the rotationof the jog dial. At step S247, the CPU 51 changes the display with theset time to then revert to step S242. At step S248, the CPU 51terminates the browsing by the jog dial to proceed to the processing ofstep S234 of FIG. 79.

[0390]FIG. 81 shows the detailed processing flow of step S244 of FIG.80. In FIG. 81, the CPU 51 verifies at step S251 whether or not theshift key has been thrust. If the result of check at step S251 is YES,the CPU 51 proceeds to step S253 and, if otherwise, to step S252. Atthis step S252, the CPU 51 checks whether or not the current timeinterval unit (time increasing/decreasing unit or step) is the minimumunit. If the result of check at step S252 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds tostep S255 and, if otherwise, to step S254. At step S253, the CPU 51checks whether or not the current time interval unit (timeincreasing/decreasing unit or step) is the maximum unit. If the resultof check at step S253 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S255 and, ifotherwise, to step S256. At step S254, the CPU 51 sets the next unit onthe operation time display unit oti as the time movement interval (timeincreasing/decreasing unit or time increasing/decreasing step). The CPU51 then terminates the movement unit changing operation to proceed tostep S245 of FIG. 80. At step S255, the CPU 51 sets the above-mentionedinformation change point as the time movement interval (timeincreasing/decreasing unit or time increasing/decreasing step). The CPU51 then terminates the time movement unit changing processing to proceedto step S245 of FIG. 80. At step S256, the CPU 51 sets the previous unitof the operation time display unit oti as the time movement interval(time increasing/decreasing unit or time increasing/decreasing step).The CPU then terminates the time movement unit changing processing toproceed to step S245 of FIG. 80.

[0391]FIG. 82 shows the detailed processing flow of step S246 of FIG.80. In FIG. 82, the CPU 51 verifies at step S261 whether or notcontinuous jog dial rotating operation has been made. If the result ofcheck at step S261 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S263 and, ifotherwise, to step S262. At step S263, the CPU 51 sets to perform timeincreasing/decreasing at an accelerated pace, that is to accelerate timeincreasing/decreasing, in agreement woth the continuous rotatingprocessing of the jog dial, before proceeding to step S262. At stepS262, the CPU 51 verifies whether or not the information changing pointinterval has been set as the time movement interval (timeincreasing/decreasing unit or time increasing/decreasing step). If theresult of check at step S262 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S264and, if otherwise, to step S265. At step S264, the CPU 51 retrieves thenext (or previous) information changing point, as it takes into accountthe results of check at step S261, if the acceleration setting is madeat step S263. The CPU 51 then proceeds to step S267. At step S265, theCPU 51 advances the time with the time interval as set, as it takes intoaccount the results of check at step S261, if the acceleration settingis made at step S263. The CPU 51 then terminates the time movementprocessing to proceed to step S267 of FIG. 80. At this step S267, theCPU 51 verifies whether or not the next (or previous) informationchanging point has been found. If the result of check at step S267 isYES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S268 and, if otherwise, to step S269.At this step S269, the CPU 51 sets the time of the last (or first)change point as the movement time to then terminate the time movementprocessing to proceed to the processing of step S247 of FIG. 80.

[0392] In the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-described functions, the time movement processing by the jog dialas discussed above can be reflected, as a jog dial guide, on thepicture. Moreover, with the label software of the present embodiment, aportion of the picture (rotation animation unit ra of the time viewconsole) can be displayed as the rotation animation, in agreement withthe jog dial rotating operation, while the difference in the jog dialrotating operation can be represented by changing the direction of therotation animation.

[0393] Moreover, in the label software of the present embodiment, thecurrent time is represented by numerical figures on the operation timedisplay unit oti, whilst the western calendar graph is represented onthe Christian era gauge unit cg, so that these representations can bemade in real-time. In addition, time changes is rendered more definiteby scrolling the western calendar graph. Meanwhile, in the westerncalendar graph, the current time and the time of the label displayed onthe desktop are indicated by different lines, such as with differentcolors, to enable the relationship between the current time and thedisplay time to be recognized more easily.

[0394] Furthermore, with the label software of the present embodiment,the desktop background picture is varied with the present/past/future torender the currently feasible operations definite. For example, thesituation in which correction is not possible in the past, only thelabel operation appointment is possible for future and all operationsare feasible at present is clarified for the user by changing thedesktop background picture.

[0395]FIGS. 84 and 85 shows the processing flow in the CPU 51 in whichthe displaying function of the jog dial guide or the western calendargraph is realized with the personal computer.

[0396]FIG. 83 shows the overall flow when the jog dial operation is usedas a user interface for time movement. First, when the label software isstarted at step S271, the CPU 51 at step S272 verifies whether or notthe jog dial has been rotated. If the result of check at step S272 isNO, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S274 and, if otherwise, to step S273. Atthis step S273, the CPU 51 browses the information in keeping with therotation of the jog dial. At step S274, the CPU 51 verifies whether ornot the processing has come to a close. If the result of check at stepS274 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S272 and, if otherwise, to stepS275, where the CPU 51 terminates the label software.

[0397]FIG. 84 shows the detailed processing flow at step S273 of FIG.83. In FIG. 84, when the browsing processing in agreement with the jogdial actuation at step S281, the CPU 51 at step S282 whether or not thejog dial has been rotated. If the result of check at step S282 is YES,the CPU 51 proceeds to step S283 and, if otherwise, to step S288. Atstep S283, the CPU 51 displays the rotation animation in agreement withthe direction of jog dial rotation. At step S284, the CPU 51 performstime movement in agreement with the direction and the amount of jog dialrotation. In addition, the CPU 51 at step S285 displays the time by thetime movement processing and updates the western calendar graph. The CPU51 then at step S286 checks whether or not the past/present/future statehas been changed. If the result of check at step S286 is NO, the CPU 51proceeds to step S288 and, if otherwise, to step S287, where the CPU 51updates the background picture of the desktop picture depending on itspast/present/future state to then proceed to step S288. At this stepS288, the CPU 51 checks whether or not the browsing processing inkeeping with the jog dial actuation is to be terminated. If theprocessing is verified not to be terminated, the CPU 51 reverts to stepS282 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51 performs the browser terminatingprocessing at step S289 to then proceed to the processing of step S274of FIG. 83.

[0398] In the label software of the present embodiment, having theabove-mentioned functions, the state whether or not the information ofrespective labels can be changed during information browsing in thepast/present/future is displayed on a label to realize the function ofenabling the label state to be presented to the user. For displaying thelabel state, an icon may be shown on a portion of the label.Alternatively, labels may also be fringed such as by changing the fringecolor. If the number of label states is increased from two, namely thecorrectable state and the correction inhibiting state, for clarifyingthe reason for correction inhibition, the user is able to recognize thestate more clearly.

[0399] FIGS. 85 to 87 show processing flow in the CPU 51 in case thelabel state presenting function is to be realized by a personal computerusing the label software of the present embodiment.

[0400]FIG. 85 shows the overall flow of the function presenting thelabel state to the user. When the label software is started at stepS291, the CPU 51 at step S292 verifies whether or not the time movementprocessing has been made by rotation of the jog dial, keyboard actuationor the up/down button tub, tdb. If the result of check at step S292 isYES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S29, where the CPU 51 performs aninformation browsing operation in keeping with the time movementprocessing. At step S294, the CPU 51 verifies whether or not theprocessing has come to a close. If the result of check at step S294 isNO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S292 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51proceeds to step S295, where the CPU 51 terminates the label software.

[0401]FIG. 86 shows the detailed processing flow at step S293 of FIG.85. In FIG. 86, if the browsing by the time movement processing at stepS301 is started, the CPU 51 at step S301 verifies whether or not thedisplay time has been changed by the time movement processing. If theresult of check at step S301 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S303and, if otherwise, to step S307. At step S303, the CPU 51 performs timemovement processing consistent with the time movement processing. Atstep S304, the CPU 51 updates the label information. The CPU 51 thenverifies at step S305 whether or not the past/present/future state hasbeen changed. If the result of check at step S305 is NO, the CPU 51proceeds to step S307 and, if otherwise, to step S306. At this stepS306, the CPU 51 performs the processing for updating of the labeleditable state, such as changing the fringe color, depending on itspast/present/future state, before proceeding to step S307. At this stepS307, the CPU 51 checks whether or not the browsing is to be terminated.If the result of check at step S307 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to stepS302 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51 proceeds to the processing of stepS294.

[0402]FIG. 87 shows the detailed processing flow at step S306 of FIG.86, in which, when the label state updating processing is started atstep S311, the CPU 51 at step S312 verifies whether or not the label hasbeen displayed. If the result of check at step S312 is YES, the CPU 51proceeds to step S313 and, if otherwise, to step S318. At step S313, theCPU 51 verifies whether the display time is past, present or future. Ifthe CPU 51 verifies that the display time is past, present or future,the CPU 51 proceeds to steps S315, 314 or 317, respectively. If the CPU51 has verified at step S313 that the display time is future, the CPU 51at step S314 verifies whether or not the label is a future label. If theresult of check at step S314 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S317and, if otherwise, to step S316. At step S315, the CPU 51 sets the labelstate to uneditable (past label) before proceeding to step S318. At stepS316, the CPU 51 sets the label state to uneditable (present label)before proceeding to step S318. At step S317, the CPU 51 sets the labelstate to editable (present or future label) before proceeding to stepS318. At step S318, the CPU 51 checks whether or not the updatingprocessing of the entire labels has come to a close. If the result ofcheck at step S318 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S312 and, ifotherwise, to step S319. At this step S319, the CPU 51 terminates thelabel state updating before proceeding to step S307 of FIG. 86.

[0403] In the label software of the present embodiment, a shortcutbutton (present button bb) for returning to the current time is providedin the time view console TVC to render it possible to revert to thepresent time even during browsing the past or the future.

[0404]FIGS. 88 and 89 show the processing flow in the CPU 51 in case ofrealizing the function of the shortcut button with the personal computerby the label software of the present embodiment.

[0405]FIG. 88 shows the overall flow when reversion is to be madeinstantly by the present button bb of the time view console TVC. If, atstep S321, the label software is started, the CPU 51 verifies whether ornot the processing is the browsing is started. If the result of check atstep S321 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S323 and, if otherwise, tostep S324. At step S323, the CPU 51 starts browsing the informationbefore proceeding to step S324. At this step S324, the CPU 51 checkswhether or not the processing has come to a close. If the result ofcheck at step S324 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S322 and, ifotherwise, to step S325, where the CPU 51 performs the label softwareterminating processing.

[0406]FIG. 89 shows the detailed processing flow at step S323 of FIG.88. In FIG. 89, when the browsing is started at step S332, the CPU 51verifies whether or not the display time has been changed. If the resultof check at step S332 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S333 and, ifotherwise, to step S334. At step S333, the CPU 51 performs time movementprocessing consistent with the time movement operation. At step S334, itis verified whether or not the present button bb has been pushed. If theresult of check at step S334 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S335and, if otherwise, to step S336. At step S335, the CPU 51 sets thedisplay time to present to then proceed to step S336. At this step S336,the CPU 51 verifies whether or not the browsing is terminated. If theresult of check at step S336 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S332 and,if otherwise, the CPU 51 at step S337 performs the browsing terminatingprocessing to then proceed to step S324 of FIG. 88.

[0407] In the label software of the present embodiment, the design ofthe icon IL of the label software on the task tray TT is made differentin the present, past and future modes, and in the all hide states in thepresent mode, so that a selectable menu will be predicted even if thecontext menu is not displayed. Meanwhile, this method is useful not onlyin an application with time shift processing but also in any applicationwhere there is no main window and where the menu is allocated to thetask tray icon. In an application where there is a main window, it is afrequent occurrence that the state can be displayed in the main windowbut the task tray icon is always apparent. Therefore, menu items can bepredicted even if the main window is minimized in size, without thenecessity of resetting the main window to its original size.

[0408] The processing flow in which the function of differentiating thedesign of the label software icon IL on the task tray TT is realized bythe personal computer is shown in FIGS. 90 to 92.

[0409]FIG. 90 shows the overall flow when the design of the labelsoftware icon IL on the task tray TT is made to differ in the present,past and future modes and in the all hide mode in the present mode.First, when the label software is started at step S341, the CPU 51checks whether or not the entire label is in the non-displaying mode. Ifthe result of check at step S341 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to stepS343 and, if otherwise, to step S344. At step S343, the CPU 51 sets anon-displaying icon on the task tray TT to then proceed to step S345. Atstep S344, the CPU 51 sets a usual icon on the task tray TT to thenproceed to step S345. At this step S345, the CPU 51 verifies whether ornot the operation is browsing start. If the result of check at step S345is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S346 and, if otherwise, to stepS347. At step S346, the CPU 51 starts browsing the information to thenproceed to step S347. At this step S347, the CPU 51 checks whether ornot the processing has come to a close. If the result of check at stepS347 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to S342 and, if otherwise, the CPU 51proceeds to step S348, where the CPU 51 performs the label softwareterminating processing.

[0410]FIG. 91 shows the detailed processing flow at step S346 of FIG.90. If, in FIG. 91, the browsing processing is started at step S351, theCPU 51 at step S352 checks whether or not the display time has beenchanged. If the result of check at step S352 is YES, the CPU 51 proceedsto step S353 and, if otherwise, to step S357. At step S353, the CPU 51performs time movement processing consistent with the time movementoperation. At step S354, the CPU 51 updates the label information tothen proceed to step S355. At this step S355, the CPU 51 checks whetheror not the past/present/future state has been changed. If the result ofcheck at step S355 is YES, the CPU 51 proceeds to step S356 and, ifotherwise, to step S357. At step S356, the CPU 51 updates the task trayicon before proceeding to step S357. At step S357, the CPU 51 checkswhether or not the browsing is to be terminated. If the result of checkat step S357 is NO, the CPU 51 reverts to step S352, in which case theCPU 51 performs browsing end processing to then proceed to step S374 ofFIG. 90.

[0411]FIG. 92 shows the detailed processing at step S356 of FIG. 91. InFIG. 92, when the icon updating processing is started at step S361, theCPU 51 verifies whether the display time is past, present or future. Ifthe CPU 51 verifies that the display time is past, present or future,the CPU 51 proceeds to steps S363, 364 or 365, respectively. At stepS363, the CPU 51 sets a past icon, shown in FIG. 43b, in the labelsoftware icon IL on the task tray TT, before proceeding to step S366. Atstep S364, the CPU 51 sets the present icon, shown in FIG. 43a, on thelabel software icon IL on the task tray TT, before proceeding to stepS366. S366. At step S365, the CPU 51 sets the future icon, shown in FIG.43c, on the label software icon IL on the task tray TT, beforeproceeding to step S366. At this step S366, the CPU 51 terminates theicon updating processing before proceeding to step S357 of FIG. 91.

[0412] A medium used for installing the program used for implementingthe above-described sequence of operations to enable execution by thecomputer may comprise not only package mediums, such as floppy discs,CD-ROMs or DVDs, but also semiconductor memories or magnetic discs inwhich the program is stored transiently or permanently. The medium mayalso be implemented by wired or radio communication mediums, such aslocal area network or Internet or digital satellite broadcasting, or avariety of communication interfaces, such as routers or modems fortransferring or receiving a program furnished over these communicationmediums. The medium in the present invention should be interpretedbroadly as meaning all of these mediums.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus comprising:storage means for storing a pre-set processing unit on which can bepasted the object information of different attributes and the timeinformation in association with each other; regenerating means forregenerating the state of said pre-set processing unit associated with adesired date and time based on said time information; and rotatableoperating means, wherein said regenerating means controlling the timeaxis of the display state of the pre-set processing unit based on anoperating signal corresponding to rotational actuation of said operatingmeans.
 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1wherein said regenerating means controls the time axisincreasing/decreasing interval of the display state of the pre-setprocessing unit based on an operating signal corresponding to rotationalactuation of said operating means.
 3. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said regenerating means variablycontrols time axis variation of the display state of said pre-setprocessing unit based on an operating signal corresponding to the speedof rotational actuation of said operating means.
 4. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating meansincludes a first operating portion associated with said rotationalactuation and a second operating portion associated with movementactuation in one direction; said regenerating means changing the displaystate of said pre-set processing unit responsive to an operating signalcorresponding to movement actuation in said one direction by said secondoperating portion of said operating means.
 5. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operating means includes afirst operating portion associated with said rotational actuation and asecond operating portion associated with movement actuation in onedirection; said regenerating means changing the control function of thetime axis of the display state of said pre-set processing unit derivedfrom an operating signal corresponding to rotational actuation by saidfirst operating portion of said operating means responsive to anoperating signal corresponding to movement actuation by said secondoperating portion of said operating means.
 6. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processing means reversesthe control of the time axis of the display state of said pre-setprocessing unit derived from an operating signal corresponding torotational actuation from said operating means responsive to a pre-setkey operation.
 7. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 1 further comprising: retrieving means for retrieving theinformation of the pre-set processing unit corresponding to said timeinformation from said storage means based on an operating signalcorresponding to rotational actuation of said operating means.
 8. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein saidstorage means stores said pre-set unit, in which the object informationof different attributes can be pasted, in association with the timeinformation; the information processing apparatus further comprising:retrieval result regenerating means for regenerating the state of saidpre-set processing unit based on the information of said pre-set unitretrieved from said storage means by said retrieval means.
 9. Theinformation processing method according to claim 8 wherein said objectinformation of different attributes is the text information, speechinformation and the picture information including moving pictures; saidpre-set processing unit is data for displaying a tag sheet on a displaypicture of a display device; and wherein said retrieval resultregenerating means displays said tag sheet on a display picture of adisplay device.
 10. An information processing method comprising: astorage step of storing a pre-set processing unit on which can be pastedthe object information of different attributes and the time informationin association with each other; a regenerating step of regenerating thestate of said pre-set processing unit associated with a desired date andtime based on said time information; and controlling the time axis ofthe display state of the pre-set processing unit based on an operatingsignal corresponding to rotational actuation of rotatable operatingmeans.
 11. The information processing method according to claim 10wherein the time axis increasing/decreasing interval of the displaystate of the pre-set processing unit is controlled based on an operatingsignal corresponding to rotational actuation of said rotatable operatingmeans.
 12. The information processing method according to claim 10wherein time axis variation of the display state of said pre-setprocessing unit is variably controlled based on an operating signalcorresponding to the speed of rotational actuation of said rotatableoperating means.
 13. The information processing method according toclaim 10 wherein the display state of said pre-set processing unit iscontrolled responsive to an operating signal corresponding to movementactuation in said one direction of said operating means.
 14. Theinformation processing method according to claim 10 wherein the controlfunction of the time axis of the display state of said pre-setprocessing unit derived from an operating signal corresponding torotational actuation by said operating means responsive to an operatingsignal corresponding to movement actuation in one direction of saidoperating means.
 15. The information processing method according toclaim 10 wherein the control of the time axis of the display state ofsaid pre-set processing unit derived from an operating signalcorresponding to rotational actuation from said operating means isreversed responsive to a pre-set key operation.
 16. The informationprocessing method according to claim 10 further comprising: retrievingthe information of the pre-set processing unit corresponding to saidtime information based on an operating signal corresponding torotational actuation of said operating means.
 17. The informationprocessing method according to claim 16 wherein said pre-set unit inwhich the object information of different attributes can be pasted isstored in association with the time information; and wherein the stateof said pre-set processing unit is regenerated based on the informationof the retrieved pre-set unit.
 18. The information processing methodaccording to claim 17 wherein said object information of differentattributes is the text information, speech information and the pictureinformation including moving pictures; said pre-set processing unit isdata for displaying a tag sheet on a display picture of a displaydevice; and wherein said tag sheet is displayed on a display picture ofa display device.
 19. A medium for permitting an information processingapparatus to execute a program including a storage step of storing apre-set processing unit on which can be pasted the object information ofdifferent attributes and the time information in association with eachother; and a regenerating step of regenerating the state of said pre-setprocessing unit associated with a desired date and time based on saidtime information, including controlling the time axis of the displaystate of the pre-set processing unit based on an operating signalcorresponding to rotational actuation of rotatable operating means.